Boueta Mbongo (Bueta Mbongo or Bweta Mbongo in Kikongo; born c. 1860 as Malonga MiâÂÂMpanzu, died 11 November 1898) was a Kongo-Lari traditional leader and a major figure in the resistance against French colonialism in what is now the Republic of the Congo. Today, he is considered a national hero in Congo-Brazzaville.
Boueta Mbongo belonged to the Kongo-Lari people, in the area of present-day Brazzaville. He held the titles of clan chief (mfumu kanda) and land chief (mfumu tsi), exercising spiritual and political authority in the Kimpanzu region. His legitimacy stemmed from lineage-based power and spiritual leadership.
In the late 19th century, Boueta Mbongo opposed the violence and forced labor imposed by the French colonial administration, including the abuses of Captain Marchand and local militias. His stance placed him in the continuity of Mabiala Ma NgangaâÂÂs rebellion. After MabialaâÂÂs death in 1896, Boueta Mbongo became the leading symbol of Kongo-Lari resistance.
In 1898, he was attacked by French colonial troops under Lieutenant Lucien Fourneau. He was killed on 11 November 1898, beheaded, and his body thrown into the Lufulakari River.
His memory is preserved by the Association des Amis de Boueta Mbongo (A.A.B.M.), founded by writer Isidore Louengo. This cultural association honors figures of African resistance and promotes historical memory among younger generations.
The association organizes tributes and commemorations, especially in its headquarters located in the Kibina district of Madibou, the 8th arrondissement of Brazzaville. It also pays tribute to other national figures such as Marien Ngouabi, Alphonse Massamba-Débat, and ÃÂmile Biayenda, all assassinated in March 1977.
A street in the Ouenzé district of Brazzaville bears his name.
Writer and researcher Isidore Louengo described Boueta Mbongo as "a controversial and multidimensional figure of colonial history [...] a central figure of opposition to the French expansion in the Congo."