The town of Lisala, located in the province of Mongala in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was recently the sad scene of a death and burnt houses following a football match.
It all goes back to a simple football match last weekend between two groups of young people called “Base Zaire” and “Base Montagne”. During the encounter, one person was seriously injured. She was transported to Notre Dame Hospital but unfortunately could not survive her injuries, she died on Monday April 17. The youths of the “Base Montagne” then set fire to eight houses in the commune of Bolikango in revenge. The police, who called in the FARDC soldiers, had to use gunfire to disperse them.
Lisala – One dead and houses burned after a tense football game: #DRC
— AllAfrica Fr (@AllAfricafrench) April 20, 2023
An investigation is underway
Several of the alleged perpetrators of these disturbances have been arrested and an investigation is underway to determine the responsibilities of each. The provincial government also paid for the victim’s burial costs. As for the owners of the eight burnt houses, which are located on the avenues of the Mission, Gumba, Bumba and Mombangi, they also announced the theft of their goods. Having no place to stay, they requested emergency assistance from the authorities. Lisala, a town of 80,000 inhabitants in the north of the DRC, is usually reputed to be quite calm and is therefore not used to dealing with this type of event. Hoping this doesn’t happen again…
