EBEYA

Ebeya Eugéne (1919- February 5, 1964), lieutenant colonel and chief of staff of the Armée Nationale Congolaise (A.N.C.), was the most notable casualty of the uprising in Kwilu led by Pierre Mulele.

Born in Mpokola village in Equateur province, Ebeya was a member of a Zaire  River ethnic group often referred to as the Bangala. Since 1886, when the Force Publique (the colonial army) was created, the Bangala people have had a continuous tradition of providing many soldiers to the armed forces. Ebeya was aware of this tradition for he went to school at Nouvelle-Anvers (now Makanza) where the Bangala Station, an important colonial military outpost, had been located from 1892 until 1913. It is unsurprising that on the eve of World War II and at age 20, Ebeya enlisted in the Force Publique.

During and after the war, Ebeya proved to be an intelligent, dedicated, and disciplined soldier who showed promise as a leader. In the 1950s he was assigned to duties as inspector (chief superintendent) at the Ecole de Cadets (school for cadets) in Luluabourg (now Kananga) where new recruits were sent for specialised training.

In 1954, the school commander assessed the future colonel’s qualities. He said: “From the time of the school’s establishment, First Sergeant Ebeya worked as an administrator on the permanent staff. His high moral values were always an  example to our future officers.” Prior to independence in 1960, Ebeya’s ability earned him the first sergeant’s star, which at the time was the highest rank a Congolese soldier could attain.

Following independence, Ebeya climbed rapidly through the ranks, assuming ever greater responsibilities. First he became a “captain commandant” responsible for the 13th Infantry Battalion. A year later, in 1961, he took charge of the Second Division at Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), being given the rank of major. Only a few months later, he was promoted to chief of staff of the A.N.C.

In 1962, he was placed in command of the military expedition to Katanga (now Shaba), which began to re-establish the central government’s control over the secessionist province. When Lt. Col. Malumba was absent in 1963, Ebeya was made provisional commander of the Third Division, stationed at Stanleyville (now Kisangani). In January 1964 he was administering ongoing business at A.N.C. headquarters in the absence of General Joseph Mobutu, commander in chief.

Since July 1963, the Mulelist partisans had been secretly training in Kwilu, primarily in the Gungu and Idiofa territories south and east of Kikwit.

In early 1964, they broke into open revolt against the established regime. At first, this grass-roots popular uprising was discounted by authorities of the central government. But when the Mulelists attacked military expeditions, civil populations, and industrial centers, where they killed policemen, soldiers, supervisors and civil servants who supported the government, Congolese authorities were forced to commit troops to suppress the rebels.

As the revolt continued, whites fled and general panic among Africans ensued. At Idiofa, 70 km (40 mi) northeast of Kikwit, and Gungu, 70 km (40 mi) southeast of Kikwit the Mulelists fought desperately against the A.N.C. To maintain army morale and help restore order in the Kwilu, Ebeya joined his troops on the battlefield.

Making Kikwit his headquarters, Ebeya prepared his strategy. For the offensive against the Mulelist partisans at Idiofa, he mobilised 100 well-armed soldiers and a dozen helicopters. He also requested additional commando reinforcements from Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi). Although two A.N.C. platoons controlled the road to Kasai, the Mulelist partisans increased their attacks so that by February 1, 1964, the garrison at Gungu in urgent need of assistance.

Knowing the road from Kikwit to Gungu was not secure, Colonel Ebeya himself decided to lead a relief, expedition to Gungu. On February 5, however, his party was ambushed between Kikwit and Gungu and Ebeya was killed by a poisoned arrow. His mutilated body was brought back to Léopoldville where he was buried in the Kalina (now Gombe) cemetery.

In his eulogy, General Mobutu described the death of Ebeya not only as a deep personal tragedy, but also as a great loss for the A.N.C. Mourning Ebeya as a friend and a faithful supporter, General Mobutu said, “At the age of 45, Colonel Ebeya died a soldier. To those of us who are soldiers, his example will continue to serve as a model. He died so that the Congo could live. Let us not forget this. Very soon, I will recommend Colonel Ebeya for our country’s highest honours. But for now, the best homage we can pay is to show ourselves worthy of him. Colonel Ebeya, your comrades in arms salute you for the last time.”

After Ebeya’s death, the Zairian government honoured him by renaming an important military camp and a large river boat in his memory. Camp Hardy at  Mbanza Ngungu (formerly Thysville) became Camp Lt. Colonel Ebeya while the  M.S. Baron Liebrechts became the M.S. Ebeya.

In the death of Ebeya Eugène, Zaire lost a patriot and a valiant soldier.

MUMBANZA mwa BAWELE na NYABAKOMBI ENSOBATO