Moise Katumbi is the son of Nissim Soriano, a Greek Jew from the island of Rhodes who fled the Nazis and established in Congo. His grand parents were deported to Auschwitz where they died.
Katumbi came this week (8 and 9th of November) for the first time at the former Nazi death camp together with a delegation of some 150 ministers and lawmakers from across Europe in the framework of an event organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA) on the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass anti-Jewish pogroms in 1938.
‘’For the sad anniversary of Kristallnacht, I gathered in Auschwitz with the European Jewish Association. I prayed for all the victims, including my grand parents. Let’s never forget this murderous madness, let’s always work for peace in RDC and everywhere,’’ Moise Katumbi wrote on his Facebook page.
The 56-year-old businessman and former governor of the province of Katanga, who is sometimes dubbed the ‘’Obama of Africa,’’ is one of the most powerful politician of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the largest and most populated country in sub-Saharian Africa. A non-conventional personality, he had to live in exile under former president Kabila before returning to his country in 2019. Today, he is the leader of the ‘’Ensemble pour la République’’ (Together for the Republic) party . According to some polls, he is the candidate with the largest support in view of the next presidential elections in Congo scheduled for in 2023.
However, lawmakers in his country have introduce a bill restricting presidency to those with 2 Congolese parents, in a bid to disqualify the popular Katumbi and block his run for presidency. This law, called the ‘’Congolité”, has provoked a political storm in the country and outside.
In a joint interview for European Jewish Press and Radio Judaica Brussels, in Krakow, Poland, Moise Katumbi explained his feelings of being in Auschwitz and his hopes for his country.
Moise Katumbi, you are here in Krakow on November 8 and 9 as part of the European Jewish Association delegation to Auschwitz. What does this mean to you?
MK: I can’t even explain my emotion. It is a great joy for me because I was born in a small village in the Democratic Republic of Congo. My father was Jewish and he was able to escape the Nazis from Rhodes. My grandparents were arrested and deported to Auschwitz and killed in the concentration camp. Only my father’s little sister, my aunt, survived. For me I feel something and it is a great joy to participate in this ceremony 83 years later. I don’t know how to explain it to you. But where my grandparents are, they know I’m here ….
Picture from EJA.
Is this the first time you’ve been to Auschwitz?
MK: Yes, this is the first time because you know we studied in history classes and also my family told me about what happened. My aunt, who passed away at the age of 87, used to tell me about the camps where she lived almost as a slave at the age of 13 and that’s a long story for me.
It is a duty of memory for your family?
MK: In memory of my family and all the Jews who were killed. The Holocaust is a story that must not be repeated in the world. The Jews suffered a lot. I am one of the few African politicians who have a Jewish parent. I continue to suffer to this day as in my country they want to pass a law because my father is Jewish, because of my popularity, because I have done good things. I was the best elected governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They want to create a law, called “Congolité”, which obliges you to have a Congolese father and mother to be a candidate. This story must stop because Jews continue to be persecuted everywhere.
What do you think of the relations between the DRC and Israel in the framework of this ‘new Middle East’ that is being created?
MK: Congo has always had very good relations with Israel. At the time it was with Marshal Mobutu. Then he turned against Israel, I don’t know why. But the Israeli people are a very peaceful people. Many Congolese come to Israel. We want to strengthen our relations with Israel because we have a lot to learn from the history of Israel and its people who started from nothing to build a country. If you look today in the field of agriculture or the army, they have a very strong army. Congo is suffering. We need Israel to train our military as well.
Is there a Jewish community in Congo?
MK: There are not so many Jews today. But I will tell you this: the oldest synagogue in Central Africa is in Lubumbashi. My cousin holds the keys to that synagogue. There is no rabbi for the moment, but the spirit is there. The synagogue is there, there are some Jews. There are not many of them but they are present.
We are here in Krakow with central questions about the future of the Jewish community in Europe. With anti-Semitism rising in Europe. The Congo is in Africa. Do you see anti-Semitism in your country?
MK: With respect to the Congolese population, not at all. A population that respects the Jewish people a lot because they know that the Jews are blessed by God. But at the political level, it is there that one wants to resurrect the old demons by saying that the Jews are everywhere, that I will not be loyal to the country because my father is Jewish …. But I was the best governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo and it was not said that my father was Jewish. For the Congolese population, I did a good job that’s all…
So the fact that your father was Jewish did not pose a problem for you in your career?
MK: To the public, no, except for the politicians because my popularity increased because of the good things I did. I was the most entrepreneurial governor, I was praised by the World Bank, so I was able to keep my popularity. When I returned from exile, more than 1.3 million people came to welcome me and to thank me. Until today my family was respected but in terms of politics that’s where you hear ‘his father is a Jew and he may one day betray the country’. Which is a great pity.
What do you think is the connection between all this? Is there a connection between your father’s Jewish background and the politics in Israel?
MK: No. There is a connection with the politicians but not with the Congolese people. Politicians are about self-interest, unnecessary criticism, the success of Israel. I like to go to Israel from time to time. When I was governor, I was invited by (then) Prime Minister Netanyahu, together with 180 governors from around the world. We saw the work done in this country. Instead of people learning what is done in Israel, its success, it is jealousy and hatred we see. This is what happens in my political career too: jealousy and hatred. They have to come and learn from Israel……’’
Are you confident that the ‘’Congolité law’’ will be changed under current President Felix Tshisekedi?
MK: President Tshisekedi does not agree with this law and other politicians too. You know in Africa what is sad is that we can dismiss this law but they will create other false cases and I feel things coming…. The whole world has condemned this law, including the United States and the United Nations. Today they are not sleeping and are trying to create other unnecessary problems.
Moise Katumbi, today, November 8, has been rich in addresses by European leaders, but also by a Moroccan minister and yours. What do you expect from this delegation of the European Jewish Association? Do you have any expectations in terms of the fight against anti-Semitism?
MK: For me it is first of all an unforgettable day. I’m writing a book and I couldn’t talk for long. What we expect from this association is to go everywhere, to continue to educate people, to continue to gather this tolerance. This is what will make the world go forward. We can’t build the world with hate but with love. What happened here in Poland is unforgettable. But the Jews have already forgiven because what counts is love. We must not encourage people who want to harm the Jewish people.
During the conference in Krakow, everyone talked about ideas, about mechanisms to better fight against anti-Semitism, to better educate about the Shoah because it is a fact that history books are no longer sufficient. If you become president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, what will you put in place to combat anti-Semitism, to better educate about the Holocaust so that this current anti-Semitism will cease or at least be less important than it is today?
MK: I’ll tell you one thing: when I was governor, the synagogue was despoiled by a sect of pastors. I had to give it back to the Jewish community of Lubumbashi. If I were to become president of the DRC one day, I would first strengthen the partnership and ask experts, professors who are no longer in office, retired people, to talk about this, because we don’t talk about it enough. Come and educate our young people because what we are experiencing today in our country, the war in eastern Congo, there are people who are killed every day. The Congo had just lost at least 5 million people, we don’t talk about it enough, but with the experience of the Holocaust of the Jewish people, I believe that this can strengthen our ties and banish all these killings in our country. Tolerance of the other. Taking what is good in the other so that there are good things. Let’s put aside hatred. The world needs love.
Interview by Yossi Lempkowicz, Editor in chief European Jewish Press, and Asley Santoro, reporter Radio Judaica Brussels.
