Raila, Nyong'o mourn death of President Tshisekedi's adviser

ODM leader Raila Odinga on Sunday mourned a top official of the DRC government, who collapsed and died at a Nairobi hotel on Friday.

Gilbert Mundela, President Felix Tshisekedi's adviser in charge of private affairs, was in the city for a service mission.

The 66-year-old suffered a heart attack during a work meeting and was rushed to The Nairobi Hospital, where he died due to cardiac arrest.

EULOGY

Addressing journalists at Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi, where he condoled with the family, Mr Odinga eulogised Mr Mundela as a patriot and liberation fighter.

“I’m sending my condolences to Mundela’s family and to the people of DR Congo for the loss of your son, who fought for democracy in Congo almost all his adult life. We are mourning with you,” said the High Representative for Infrastructure Development, African Union.

The ODM leader said the official left Nairobi for Kinshasa last Sunday and returned three days later.

“He came back in Nairobi on Thursday and passed away on Friday,” he said.

His brother Paul Mundela said they were arranging to transport the body to Kinshasa for the burial.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS

Mr Mundela was President Tshiskedi's cousin and one of his close allies.

Congovox.com, one of the leading news websites in the DRC, described him as a man who sacrificed everything for his country for many years, alongside national hero Etienne Tshisekedi, President Tshisekedi's father.

Mr Mundela, who was born and raised in Bukavu, was the face of Mr Tshisekedi in the United States and one of the leading figures of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS).

He was active in lobbying firm Pamoja USA, which was hired for Mr Tshisekedi's election campaign in 2018.

After winning, President Tshisekedi asked him to work as his adviser.

Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, who accompanied Mr Odinga to the funeral home, said he and Mr Mundela were friends.

“He was like a brother in his long journey to liberate the DRC from post-colonial oppression,” said Prof Nyongo.

CLOSE TIES

President Tshisekedi is a close ally of Mr Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He visited Kenya and met the two leaders barely 14 days after his election this year.

Mr Odinga has met President Tshisekedi several times this year, their latest meeting being in Kigali, Rwanda, during the Kusi Ideas Festival earlier in December.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame, African Union Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat and Dr Vera Songwe, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, also attended the festival.