In the wake of the recent failed assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, News Ghana delves into the dark history of successful assassinations that have shaped contemporary African politics.
Here are profiles of five prominent African leaders who fell victim to political violence:
1. Patrice Lumumba (1925-1961)
How: Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was captured by his political rivals led by Moïse Tshombe with support from Belgium and the United States. He was executed by firing squad on January 17 1961, and his body was dismembered and dissolved in acid.
Why: Lumumba’s staunch advocacy for Congolese independence and alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War challenged Western interests and Belgian colonial power. His radical pan-Africanist vision and calls for economic independence were viewed as destabilizing by internal and external adversaries.
2. Herbert Chitepo (1923–1975)
How: Herbert Chitepo, a prominent Zimbabwean nationalist and leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), was assassinated on March 18 1975, in Lusaka, Zambia, by a car bomb.
Why: Chitepo was pivotal in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against British colonial rule. His assassination was attributed to internal rivalries within ZANU. However, suspicions also pointed to involvement by Rhodesian security forces seeking to undermine the liberation movement.
3. Jeremias Chitunda (1942–1992)
How: Jeremias Chitunda, vice-president of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), was ambushed and killed by government forces on October 2 1992, during Angola’s “Halloween Massacre” in Luanda.
Why: Chitunda’s leadership position in UNITA, a rival to the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), made him a target amidst post-independence power struggles exacerbated by contested elections.
4. Thomas Sankara (1949–1987)
How: Thomas Sankara, President of Burkina Faso, was assassinated on October 15, 1987, during a coup orchestrated by his former ally Blaise Compaoré. He was killed by gunfire along with twelve aides.
Why: Sankara’s radical policies aimed at nationalizing industries, redistributing land, and reducing foreign dependency threatened entrenched interests within Burkina Faso and beyond. His assassination, supported by external powers like France, marked a significant setback for progressive movements in Africa.
5. Samuel Doe (1951–1990)
How: Samuel Doe, President of Liberia, was captured, tortured, and executed by rebel forces led by Prince Johnson on September 9 1990, during the First Liberian Civil War.
Why: Doe’s authoritarian rule, characterized by ethnic favouritism, corruption, and human rights abuses, triggered widespread discontent and armed opposition. His brutal execution, filmed by rebel forces, symbolized the violent power struggles that engulfed Liberia during its tumultuous civil war era.
These assassinations serve as poignant reminders of the complex political landscapes and power struggles that have defined Africa’s modern history, underscoring the high stakes and often brutal consequences of leadership challenges on the continent.
