46 Facts About Jason Sendwe

Jason Sendwe was a Congolese politician and the founder and leader of the General Association of the Baluba of the Katanga party.

Jason Sendwe later served as Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from August 1961 until January 1963, and as President of the Province of North Katanga from September 1963 until his death, with a brief interruption.

Jason Sendwe was educated in Methodist schools and nursing institutions.

Jason Sendwe became involved in several cultural organisations, and in 1957 founded BALUBAKAT to fight for the interests of the Baluba.

Jason Sendwe espoused Congolese nationalism and believed that the Congo should remain a united country after Belgian rule.

Jason Sendwe sought to obtain control over the government of Katanga Province, but lost to a power struggle against his rival, Moise Tshombe, and the Confederation of Tribal Associations of Katanga party.

Jason Sendwe opposed the breakaway state and rejected Tshombe's entreaties for him to join the rebel government, rupturing relations between the two men.

Jason Sendwe was born in 1917 in Mwanya, Kabongo Territory, Belgian Congo to a Baluba family.

Jason Sendwe received six years of primary schooling from Methodists in Kabongo and four years of secondary education at the Kanene Methodist Mission in Kamina.

Jason Sendwe completed his studies at the Ecole des Assistants Indigenes de Leopoldville, graduating as a nurse.

Jason Sendwe worked as a minister and teacher at the Kanene Methodist Mission, and in 1942 entered the service of the colonial administration as a clerk.

Jason Sendwe later became a nurse and then a medical assistant, working in Elisabethville, Mutshatsha, Kongolo and Kabongo.

Jason Sendwe was a founding member and treasurer of the Amities Belgo-Congolaises cultural organisation, treasurer of the Academie des Beaux-Arts, councillor of the Association Saint-Luc, councillor of the Foyer social Leopold III, and served on the council of the Church of Christ in the Congo.

In 1957 Jason Sendwe founded and became president of the Association Generale des Baluba du Katanga, with the stated aim of encouraging unity among the Baluba of the Katanga Province.

In 1958 Jason Sendwe attended the Brussels Expo, working as a medical assistant at the African Personnel Reception Center.

On 5 February 1959 Jason Sendwe brought BALUBAKAT into Tshombe's Confederation des associations tribales du Katanga party on the condition that it be able to maintain a significant amount of autonomy.

Jason Sendwe initially shared the xenophobic stances of CONAKAT, but soon grew concerned that its hostility toward immigrants would extend to incoming Baluba.

Jason Sendwe was worried by Tshombe's close connections to the Belgians and was repulsed by the prominence of several of his political rivals within the party's ranks.

Jason Sendwe subsequently negotiated the formation of a "Cartel Katangais" between BALUBAKAT and two other organisations to compete against CONAKAT in the December 1959 municipal elections.

That same day Jason Sendwe signed a deal with MNC leader Patrice Lumumba to create a coalition in Parliament to support a government under Lumumba.

In exchange, BALUBAKAT would get some ministerial portfolios and Jason Sendwe would be nominated to be the State Commissioner for Katanga.

Lumumba's demise caused political turmoil, and Jason Sendwe was appointed by the Chamber to as rapporteur on a reconciliation commission tasked with brokering a political agreement between Kasa-Vubu and Lumumba.

Jason Sendwe enjoyed a substantial amount of popularity around Elisabethville, posing a significant political threat to Tshombe.

Jason Sendwe encouraged the Baluba to maintain public order and place their confidence in the UN.

Jason Sendwe attempted to broker a political compromise and secure Belgian political and commercial acceptance of the new province.

Jason Sendwe was appointed Second Deputy Prime Minister, as he was viewed as the only figure with enough political clout in Katanga to challenge Tshombe.

Jason Sendwe was appointed Commissioner-General Extraordinaire for the province, nominally giving him absolute authority over the area.

Jason Sendwe devoted much of his time to attending to the needs of Baluba in refugee camps in Elisabethville and Albertville.

Jason Sendwe arrived on the scene and ordered some accompanying soldiers to intervene.

Jason Sendwe's departure heralded the removal of the last of the Lumumbists from the government.

Jason Sendwe questioned the legality of the existence of North Katanga as a separate political entity and continued to push for the reunification of Katanga Province.

Jason Sendwe blocked the repatriation of the Baluba refugees in the local camp; the UN feared this was so he could use the refugees to boost his support.

The Adoula Government was pleased by Jason Sendwe's relocation, wanting to be rid of him in Leopoldville.

The situation in North Katanga under Jason Sendwe quickly became disastrous, driven by his alcoholism, poor management of public funds, nepotism, lack of a government programme, and numerous attempts to use his position to deprecate his rivals.

Jason Sendwe attended the first meeting but then denounced the event and banned it, which was reversed at the order of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Jason Sendwe failed to secure any significant party office, and was relegated to the position of adviser to the PPCo.

Jason Sendwe argued on legal technicality that his removal was unlawful, denounced the PPCo, and declared that only his government had popular support.

Jason Sendwe pledged to strengthen North Katanga's institutions and territorial integrity, protect political parties that sought to further "superior interests" of the Congo, and encourage friendly relations between BALUBAKAT and CONAKAT.

Jason Sendwe announced his intention to increase economic cooperation with other provinces and establish cooperatives for merchants and consumers.

Jason Sendwe was under the false impression that Mwamba Ilunga had stoked the rebellion and had him arrested.

Jason Sendwe failed to calm the situation and instead gave statements attacking his rivals and non-Baluba ethnicities.

Jason Sendwe attempted to flee but was hampered by government troops and was killed by rebels.

Kabuya, noting the allegedly newer clothing worn by the soldiers who had prevented Jason Sendwe's departure, posited that the ANC men were clandestine government operatives.

Jason Sendwe argued that Mobutu, head of the ANC at the time, wanted Sendwe dead to make rapprochement with Tshombe easier.

In November 1966 Mobutu, having become president of the Congo, posthumously awarded Jason Sendwe for dying "in defence of the country's honour".

In 2011 a congress of the "Luba People" declared that Jason Sendwe was among their "valiant martyrs".