DR Congo Musician Killed While Filming Music Video

Delcat Idengo, a well-known artist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was slain while making a music video in the war-torn eastern town of Goma.

Idengo’s head was partially covered in blood when his body was found on Thursday. According to unverified claims, the artist was shot.

Idengo, who is well-known for writing songs that criticize the government and rebel organizations, was one of hundreds of prisoners who broke out of a Goma jail following the city’s capture by M23 rebels last month.

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The eastern DR Congo region is currently experiencing intense fighting between armed groups and the army as they vie for control of the mineral-rich area. The circumstances and perpetrators of the killing remain unclear.

The musician had recently released a track called “Bunduki” (meaning “weapon” in Swahili), which condemned the rebel occupation in Goma.

Response From Government

“Justice will be done,” government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya posted on X, calling the musician’s killing an “abominable act” and blaming the M23.

However, the M23 refuted the accusation, pointing the finger at government-aligned forces and calling on them to surrender their weapons.

The killing has escalated tensions in the area following the Rwanda-backed M23’s capture of Goma in late January.

Recent hostilities have resulted in the deaths of approximately 2,900 people and the displacement of around 700,000 others, according to the latest UN figures.

Despite regional peace efforts, the rebels are now advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, another strategically important city in the region.

Idengo’s death has sparked renewed fear in North Kivu, with protesters taking to the streets of Beni, his birthplace, to demand justice.

Social media videos depict the musician’s body lying on the ground after the incident in the Kilijiwe area, north of Goma.

Witnesses reported that Idengo, who was wearing military trousers for the video shoot, died instantly after the attack.

Response From Ministry of Arts

The Congolese ministry of arts and culture described the incident as an “assassination”.

“A committed voice, he carried, through his music, the aspirations and hopes of an entire generation,” the ministry posted on X.

Idengo was awaiting trial after being jailed last year for inciting people to take up arms and force UN peacekeepers to leave the country.

In 2021, he was prosecuted for insulting President Félix Tshisekedi and spreading “false rumours” in a song accusing the president of failing to deliver on his promises. He received a 10-year sentence but was later acquitted.

“The nation has lost a patriot committed to national cohesion. I mourn the loss of Idengo. It is high time for this war to end. Humanity above all!” posted Martin Fayulu, an opposition leader who came third in the 2023 general election, on X.

Moïse Katumbi, another opposition figure who came second in the election, also condemned Idengo’s killing.

“His murderers, whoever they are, must be quickly identified and very severely condemned,” Katumbi posted on X.

Source: bbc