Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2024 — dissident coup attempt

Event Summary

On 19 May 2024 a small, bizarre coup attempt took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when armed men led by Christian Malanga, an exiledi opposition figure, attacked the Palais de la Nation and the home of a top official in Kinshasa, only to be swiftly crushed by security forces, with Malanga killed. Malanga, a Congolese American who had emigrated to the United States, worked as a car salesman in Utah, and later proclaimed himself president of a self styled New Zaire government in exile, led a motley band that included his own son and other young Americans, some of whom later said they had been deceived or coerced into taking part. In the pre dawn assault, the attackers, displaying the flag of the Mobutu era state of Zaire and chanting for the ouster of President Felix Tshisekedi, stormed the presidential palace and the residence of the economy minister Vital Kamerhe; Malanga livestreamed himself declaring Tshisekedi out.

But the presidential guard responded quickly, killing Malanga and several attackers and capturing the rest, including three American nationals, within hours. Tshisekedi was unharmed. The captured foreigners were tried, sentenced to death, and later, after their sentences were commuted, repatriated to the United States.