The death announcement of Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Sikatenda Shabani has not gone unnoticed by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila Kabange.
In a message sent to ACTUALITE.CD, the lifelong senator and key figure in DRC’s political history paid tribute to his comrade-in-arms under Mzee Laurent-Désiré Kabila. He described Sikatenda’s death as a sacrifice of “intolerance” and oppression under the regime of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi.
“I received with great sorrow the news of Lt. Gen. Sikatenda Shabani’s death. I want to express my deepest respect for the memory of this retired high-ranking officer, a fellow comrade of Mzee Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who was 83 years old, witnessed my birth, and even carried me as a baby. He was arrested in November 2023 and detained without trial, ultimately dying due to poor treatment.
“We extend our condolences to the deceased’s family, his fellow fighters alongside Mzee Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC), and the entire Bembe community. May peace and eternal rest be granted to the General’s soul,” said Joseph Kabila on Wednesday, June 4, in Goma.
Lt. Gen. Sikatenda Shabani, who was a close associate of Mzee Laurent-Désiré Kabila, led the former military intelligence agency (Ex-Demiap) between 1997 and 1998, which has since evolved into FARDC’s military intelligence department.
He was a well-known figure within FARDC and held several key positions, including Deputy Director of Military Intelligence Operations. He also served as the Director of Military Schools and held top leadership roles within the Armed Forces.
In his recent speech before relocating to Goma, Joseph Kabila strongly criticized the deteriorating security situation in many provinces, including the capital Kinshasa, due to activities by the Mobondo militia.
He also denounced the overall security state of the country, blaming poor leadership, weak military training, flawed recruitment practices, tribal favoritism, and the detention without trial of many senior officers and security officials—particularly those from Swahili-speaking backgrounds.
