KINZONZI, AUGUSTIN

Augustin Kinzonzi (May 25, 1901-June 19, 1955) rose to prominence as a Thysville (now Mbanza- Ngungu) merchant and government official during the colonial period.

Kinzonzi was born in the commercially unimportant village of Nsanga-Londe in the present Lower Zaire region. He was, however, introduced to the business world at a very young age when he was hired by a Portuguese merchant.

Like the Asians and Greeks in the eastern Congo, the Portuguese in the western Congo established a near monopoly on commerce with the Africans. Familiar with African customs and methods of trade, Portuguese agents were employed by the large commercial houses and the Portuguese language was widely adopted in transactions with the Africans.

 Through his work, Kinzonzi learned about modern commerce and gained an education. Accompanying his employer in Portugal, on two occasions, he attended primary school in Europe.

On his return to the Congo, he established himself as a merchant in Thysville. As did Pierre Disu in the Madimba region and Albert Mpaka at Matadi, Kinzonzi distinguished himself through his commercial transactions, and his business emerged as one of the prominent firms in the area. Its role as a supplier of foodstuffs, especially manioc, to the urban centres of Matadi and Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) contributed to his growing fortune.

During the Depression, which affected the Lower Congo with great intensity between 1931 and 1934, African merchants in Matadi and Thysville created the Chambre de Commerce Indigène (Native Chamber of Commerce) to protect the interests of African businessmen and to promote foreign trade. In 1934, Kinzonzi became president of this organisation.

By the 1950s, Kinzonzi had nine commercial outlets in the Léopoldville Province (now Bas-Zaire region and Kinshasa) towns of Léopoldville, Sundi-Lutete, Mpombo, Thysville, Lufu-Ntoto, Gombe-Matadi, Mfwatu, and Matadi.

The prosperity of his business earned him the confidence of the colonial administrators who awarded him a contract to supply the large prisons of the Thysville area with food. When a “Centre-Extra-Coutumier” (urban area not ruled by a traditional chief) was created at Thysville in 1934, Kinzonzi was named assistant head of the centre.

He exercised this function to the complete satisfaction of both the administration and the African population. In 1939, Kinzonzi became head of the center, retaining the post until his death. In 1947, he became a member of the Léopoldville Province council, a purely consultant body representing the various European and African interest groups.

His loyalty to the colony and his distinguished services were recognised when the government gave him the war medal (“Médaille de Guerre”), the silver medal of merit, and the silver medal of the Order of Léopold II. Finally, on January 19, 1955, Kinzonzi became the first African in the Thysville territory to receive a civic merit card and achieve a status which placed him under the jurisdiction of European rather than traditional law.

During his administrative career, Kinzonzi was able to complete his tasks as a merchant and as head of the “Centre-Extra-Coutumier.” As a 1954 report prepared by the territorial administrator indicated, he was highly esteemed by the Europeans as an active and intelligent leader. He was, however, also responsive to the Africans’ needs. Many people from his home territory of Manianga were able to secure jobs at Thysville because of his efforts.

Besides his municipal administrative duties and his commercial affairs, Kinzonzi maintained an active interest in regional polities. Thus, he joined the “Alliance des Bakongo” (Abako) which, together with other African political parties, led the Congo to independence.

He died of a heart attack on June 19, 1955.

SABAKINU KIVILU