The 1895 Luluabourg Mutiny: Congo's Forgotten Rebellion

The History of Belgium: A Small Country with a Giant Colonial Legacy — Fexingo History · Aug 31, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In 1895, deep in the Kasai region of the Congo Free State, the Force Publique mutinied against their Belgian officers. This episode follows the revolt from its spark in the garrison at Luluabourg to the punishing march toward the coast, the siege of the Luluabourg post, and the brutal counteroffensive led by Francis Dhanis. We uncover the grievances of the African soldiers—the chicotte, the pay arrears, the broken promises—and trace how a lieutenant named Mathieu Gonze became a symbol of colonial panic. Drawing on contemporary reports and oral memory, we explore how the mutiny exposed the…