THE DRC COMMUNICATES SIMON KIMBANGU AND ERECTS AFRICAN CONSCIOUSNESS' DUTY TO REMEMBER

A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT DATE SYMBOLIC

Signed on March 30, 2023, by President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, Ordinance No. 23/042 established April 6 as a legal holiday in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This date is now dedicated to "Simon Kimbangu and African Consciousness Day," in homage to the preacher considered one of the forerunners of the struggle for the dignity and emancipation of the Congolese people.

The choice of April 6th was not accidental. It was on April 6, 1921, in Nkiantondo, in what is now the Kongo Central province, that Simon Kimbangu declared he had received a divine revelation granting him the power to heal the sick. This event marked the beginning of a religious movement that would quickly take on a social and political dimension.

In the context of Belgian colonization, his message of hope, justice, and human dignity resonated deeply with the Congolese people. The colonial authorities saw it as a threat to their power.

Just a few months after he began preaching, Simon Kimbangu was arrested and sentenced to death, before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

He spent thirty years in detention in Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi), where he died on October 12, 1951. For many historians, his struggle went far beyond

OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL MEMORY

By establishing this national day, the Congolese authorities hope to permanently enshrine Simon Kimbangu's legacy in the collective memory. The expression "African Consciousness," associated with this commemoration, reflects a desire to recall the values ​​of dignity, cultural identity, freedom, and unity that fueled the continent's emancipation movements. For Kimbanguist followers, this decision also constitutes official recognition of their Church's historical contribution to the construction of national identity. Founded in 1921, the Kimbanguist Church is now known by its official name: the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth through His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu (EJCSK). Since 2001, it has been led by His Divine Eminence Simon Kimbangu Kiangani, the Church's spiritual leader and legal representative. Over the decades, this religious denomination has significantly strengthened its international influence. She is a member of the World Council of Churches (1969), the All Africa Conference of Churches (1974) and the Organization of Churches

In the context of Belgian colonization, his message of hope, justice and human dignity resonated considerably with the Congolese people.

Independents of Africa (1974). Present in several dozen countries, it now gathers several million faithful in Africa, Europe and North America.

NKAMBA, A HOLY CITY IN HEART OF KIMBANGUISM

At the heart of this story lies Nkamba, in Kongo Central province, considered by the faithful to be the "New Jerusalem." A major pilgrimage site, Nkamba welcomes thousands of believers from around the world each year to participate in major religious celebrations. Under the presidency of Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, several infrastructure projects were announced there, including the construction of the road linking Nkamba to Mbanza-Ngungu, the improvement of the road network, the strengthening of access to electricity and drinking water, and the granting of special status to the city, now recognized as a holy city.

RECOGNITION PROGRESSIVE OF HEADS OF STATE

Recent history shows that several African leaders contributed to the institutional recognition of Simon Kimbangu. In the DRC, President Mobutu Sese Seko posthumously awarded him the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Leopard in 1991. His successor, Joseph Kabila, notably supported the review of Simon Kimbangu's trial. This led, in 2011, to a symbolic rehabilitation when the Congolese justice system officially recognized his innocence.

At the heart of this story is Nkamba, in Kongo Central, considered by the faithful as the "New Jerusalem".

In the Republic of Congo, President Denis Sassou N'Guesso also made numerous gestures of appreciation towards the Kimbanguist Church, notably by issuing a postage stamp bearing the image of Simon Kimbangu in 1987 and by supporting several agricultural projects developed by the Church in Kounzoulou. Finally, in Angola, Presidents José Eduardo dos Santos and then João Lourenço maintained close relations with the Kimbanguist community, demonstrating the regional influence of this religious institution.

A FIGURE THAT STANDS ABOVE THE RELIGIOUS FRAMEWORK

One hundred and four years after the events of 1921, Simon Kimbangu remains a figure whose influence extends far beyond the realm of religious affiliation. For historians, he represents one of the first great African figures to challenge the established colonial order through a spiritual and humanist discourse. For his followers, he remains a symbol of faith, resistance, and the African renaissance.

For the Congolese authorities, his legacy now plays a full part in shaping national memory. By officially dedicating April 6th to his struggle and to African consciousness, the DRC has inscribed on its calendar a date meant to remind us, each year, that the struggles for dignity, freedom, and the identity of African peoples also find their roots in the spiritual history of the continent.