LIE
is the IATA code for Libenge Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The airport is situated in the far north of the country, close to the tri-border with the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo.
A mass accident occured in May 1948 when a passenger aircraft en route to Libenge from Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) flew into a tornado and was downed by a gust of wind, causing 31 fatalities. At the time, this was the worst aviation disaster ever suffered in the Congo. This accident pales, however, in comparison with the 1996 African Air/Moscow Airlines disaster at Kinshasa-N'Dolo Airport. On that occasion, 237 fatalities were caused when an Antonov-32B plane overran the runway and the airport during an attempted takeoff, crashing in a market square. In 2011, 77 lives were lost when a Boeing 727 operated by Hewa Bora Airways crashed on landing at Kisangani Airport.
The Congolese politician Léon Kengo wa Dondo was born in Libenge in 1935. Kengo was Prime Minister under President Mobuto when the country was named Zaire and later became President of the Senate of Congo, serving until April 2019. He was widely recognised as an advocate for free markets and globalisation. Last year, mysterious reports surfaced alleging that Kengo wa Dondo had been "kidnapped" by his own family and was being de facto "imprisoned" in Brussels. A week ago, however, it was reported that the Joseph Olenghankoy had spoken to him in relation to the 2016 New Year's Eve agreement, which concerns power-sharing modalities as a means to resolve political and constitutional crises within the DRC. In 1979, Kengo, who was then Attorney-General, prosecuted the popular Congolese musician, Franco for obscenity on the basis of the lyrics to his song, Jacky. After serving 1 month in prison, Franco subsequently released another song, Tailleur, poking fun at the Attorney-General. Franco died in 1989 but this incident remains one for which Franco's fans and supporters hold a grudge against Kengo wa Dondo and which is still invoked against him to this day.
[Kinshasa to Libenge, via StreetMap]
