The UCC and the President honor the memory of two great professors

KINSHASA, July 17, 2026 – The Catholic University of Congo (UCC) is in a period of deep mourning. In the space of forty-eight hours, the academic community and the highest authorities of the State have mobilized to pay tribute to the memory of two eminent professors and servants of the Church: Father Sylvestre Bokwanga and Father Pierre Mukuna, both of whom passed away at the beginning of July.

Academic farewell to Professor Abbé Sylvestre Bokwanga

On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, the Limete Amphitheater hosted a solemn academic ceremony in homage to Professor Abbé Sylvestre Bokwanga. Having passed away on July 1st, this Honorary Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law is remembered as a man of profound legal erudition. Amidst prayers and eulogies, the Catholic University of Congo (UCC) paid tribute to a conscientious teacher, a diligent worker, and a tireless servant of the Gospel. His intelligence and character remain etched in history as an icon of canon law scholarship.

The Head of State honors the memory of Professor Abbé Pierre Mukuna

The day before, on Tuesday, July 14, the entire nation gathered at Notre-Dame du Congo Cathedral Parish to pay their respects to the remains of Father Pierre Mukuna. Honorary Vice-Rector of UCC and a prominent figure at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), he received final tributes from the President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi.

Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Bruno Miteyo, the Head of State praised the steadfastness and dedication of this exceptional educator. The Rector of UCC, Father Léonard Santedi, celebrated him as a "master of both science and humanity." At the close of the service, Bishop Emmanuel Bernard Kasanda expressed the Church's gratitude for the President's personal involvement in organizing these dignified funeral rites.

A fitting adage : Great masters never truly die, for their light continues to shine through the minds of the generations they have taught.

TMNews@120726