100s bid farewell to Kolingba
2010-03-01 14:54
Bangui - Hundreds gathered in the streets of the Central African Republic's capital Bangui to say goodbye to former president, Andre Kolingba, or "Grand K", during his funeral ceremony Monday.
"Grand K, the Centrafrican people owe you democracy," read the banners set out across the city, whilst its main roads were lined with palm tree branches attached to posts, a symbol of mourning in the landlocked country.
Kolingba's funeral procession began around 06:30 GMT from Bangui's university hospital and made its way to the ex-president's home in the Ouango district, south-west of the capital, where a funerary chapel had been set up.
Young people followed the coffin running and singing, as it made the 20 kilometre (12 mile) journey.
After prayers, traditional dancing and a military procession in his honour, Kolingba will be buried on Tuesday, the second-last day of a national mourning period in the Central African Republic, observed since February 25.
Aged 73, General Kolingba died from prostate cancer on February 7 in Paris.
He came to power in a bloodless coup in 1981 that deposed Central African independence leader David Dacko and ruled the country until 1993.
Kolingba ruled the Central African Republic, rich in natural wealth but impoverished by years of corruption and mismanagement, until he was defeated at the polls by Ange-Felix Patasse in 1993.
The general fled into exile in Uganda following a failed attempt to overthrow his successor in 2001.
Kolingba was sentenced to death and stripped of military rank in his absence, but was amnestied in 2003 after General Francois Bozize seized power from Patasse and returned home later that year.
- SAPA