Kinshasa, April 12th, 2021 (CPA).- The Père Raphaël de la Kethulle stadium, in the town of Kalamu, will undergo its 2nd large-scale makeover in view of the organization in Kinshasa of the 9th Games of La Francophonie in 2022. The second cure was announced on the sidelines of the laying of the first stone for the launch of construction work on the infrastructure to house the said games, Friday, April 9th, by the Head of State Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. In view of the model of what will be at the end the old rocky amphitheater of the town of Kalamu and its surroundings, this space, like a sports infrastructure complex in the long term, will have undergone a real makeover that it has not had never known. The official laying of the foundation stone for this work augurs well for an intervention with the brushes of great importance in the history that this omnisport complex will undergo since its first makeover carried out in 1974 under the era and by the will of the late Marshal Mobutu Sese. Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Zabanga.
Indeed, thanks to the heavyweight boxing world championship, WBC version (World boxing council) between Muhammad Ali, the winner, and George Foreman (two black American boxers), on October 30, 1974, the former stadium of May 20 had had a makeover and had put on its most beautiful dress to host this meeting of the noble art followed all over the planet, very successful and which has passed, until proof to the contrary, as the greatest sporting event of high significance never organized by Zaire, now DR Congo.
Ado Makola’s breath of fresh air
A victim of the total absence of any maintenance culture in the DRC, this site has, over the years, lost its true value to the point of becoming the benchmark of the underworld despite the organization of football matches within it. But, we cannot forget the intervention, however small, of the late president of AC Matonge, Ado Makola Seti Ngoy, who, during the 1980s, was involved in the rehabilitation of electric cables and spotlights. It was a breath of fresh air, on the occasion of an international football tournament which had seen the participation of the Belgian club Seraing alongside DC Motema Pembe and AS V. Club, all from Kinshasa.
And came Gabriel Amisi Kumba
In its frantic descent into hell, this old rocky temple in the town of Kalamu partially came to life in 2014. This, thanks to the push from the former chairman of the AS V.Club executive committee, General- Major Gabriel Amisi Kumba, supported by certain partners, to allow his team to evolve there, given that the omnisport complex of the ex-Cultrana was closed due to rehabilitation work. Following General Amisi, for nearly two years, Deo Kasongo has also arrived for the rehabilitation of this place whose work is at a standstill.
The future of youth assured
This time, on the sidelines of the preparations for the 9th Games of La Francophonie in Kinshasa, with regard to the model unveiled on Friday during the laying of the first stone, the Père Raphaël de la Kethulle stadium will be able to put on its ceremonial dress in August 2022, after the scalpels for the rebirth of this infrastructure, which, in other words, will ensure the future of Congolese youth.