The People's Palace in Kinshasa was completed in 1979, funded by a US$100 million interest-free credit line from the People's Republic of China. Commissioned by President Mobutu Sese Seko following a 1973 visit to China, the building's architecture was inspired by the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The remaining debt of US$42.3 million was forgiven by the Chinese government in 1983.
The structure serves as the seat of the National Assembly and the Senate in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has been a venue for official ceremonies and historic debates. After the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo seized power in 1997, the Parliament moved from the Palace of the Nation to this building.
The palace has also served as a place for state honors and public mourning. The body of Laurent-Désiré Kabila lay in state here for three days in 2001, and in 2013, the famous rumba musician Tabu Ley Rochereau lay in state at the palace as well.
In January 2015, the palace was the site of a violent protest following opposition appeals against a plan to delay the 2016 elections. Government security forces used tear gas and live ammunition against the gathered protesters, resulting in the deaths of at least 42 people.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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