How DR Congo coup leader Christian Malanga moved to Salt Lake City as a political refugee had eight children and worked as a small businessman before returning to Africa for military service and plotting to overthrow a government with his son, 21, Marcel
Christian Malanga, 41, was 'neutralized' during the violent uprising in which he also involved his son, Marcel, 21, who remains captive in the central African nation
The man who led a bungled coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been identified as a Salt Lake City resident who first came to the US in 1998 as a political refugee, settling in Utah, raising a family and operating several businesses.
Christian Malanga, 41, was 'neutralized' during the violent uprising in which he also involved his son, Marcel, 21, who remains captive in the central African nation. His right-hand man is reportedly Maryland-resident and cannabis entrepreneur Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 36.
Malanga moved to the US alongside his parents and his five siblings, according to his father, Joseph's, obituary. According to his tribute, the family lived in one of the poorest sections of the DRC capital of Kinshasa. His mother died when he was five.
'He had a drive and determination to take his family from Congo, Africa to the USA in hopes of pursuing the American Dream,' one section of the obit reads while also mentioning his devotion to Christianity.
Eight years after arriving in the US, Malanga returned to his homeland in order to do military service, rising to the rank of captain by 2007. During this period, he had at least 235 soldiers under his command.
At Highland High School, Malanga was an Air Force ROTC cadet. That undertaking is referred to as 'the leading fundamental building blocks of his life,' on his website.
Marcel Malanga, 21, looked terrified as he was hauled into frame ahead of the coup attempt in a video posted to Facebook by his father
Marcel, appears to have had a perfectly average upbringing in the US. He graduated from Copper Hills High School in the community of West Jordan, Utah, in 2020 where he was also a star football player
Marcel's mother is American citizen Britney Sawyer who has posted about her son's arrest in the DRC
Following failed attempts at moving into politics in DRC, Malanga returned to the US in 2012 but continued to be active in the country's affairs while in exile. He founded a political party that gained popularity among Conoglese natives worldwide, the United Congolese Party.
After high school, Malanga said that he studied to become a pilot, as well as 'computer software training, hardware training, business mentorship and more.'
He also calls himself the 'first African/Black American in the State of Utah to register as a car dealer.'
Malanga made religious freedom one of his main platforms. In exile, he referred to himself as the president of the DRC.
On his website, Malanga writes that it was his time in the DRC military which turned him against the government, describing corruption the government's lack of concern for it's own citizens.
It's not clear how Malanga became close with Zalman-Polun. In May 2022, it was reported that the pair were invested in a gold business in Mozambique together. Mining is mentioned as one of Malanga's business ventures
His son, Marcel, appears to have had a perfectly average upbringing in the US. He graduated from Copper Hills High School in the community of West Jordan, Utah, in 2020 where he was also a star football player.
After high school, he went on to play for the Utah Islanders, a team which helps to develop players to play college football.
Malanga was married at least twice, one marriage was to fellow Congolese ex-patriate Lucille Malanga. According to her social media profiles, she is also passionate about politics in her homeland.
Lucile lives in Miami, Florida. Her Facebook cover image is a picture of Malanga with a caption reading 'President of the Democratic Republic of Congo.'
'Obviously, Malanga has been used by somebody. There’s many people unhappy with the president inside the Congo and ambitious powers outside the Congo who want him removed — and a lot of it connects to resource ambitions, including gold,' a former representative for the DRC at the United Nations told the Washington Post.
Christian Malanga's last known address in the US in Salt Lake City is shown here
Marcel Malanga was living nearby in Provo, Utah
Christian Malanga was also married to this woman, Congolese ex-patriate Lucille Managala
Malanga moved to the US alongside his parents and his five siblings, according to his father, Joseph, shown here with his wife Chantal's, obituary
A Facebook post from Malanga's daughter, Christine, mourning her father
On his personal website, Malanga calls himself the 'President of New Zaire.' The DRC was previously named Zaire. His profile on that page says that he is currently married to Lucile and that he is the father of eight children.
His son, Marcel, however comes from a relationship that Malanga had with an American woman named Britney Sawyer.
On Facebook, she wrote about the developments in DRC.
'All the hate in the world! It's so sick. This was an innocent boy following his father. I'm so tired of all the videos being post all over and being sent to me. God will take care of you people! Karmas a b****!'
Meanwhile another of Malanga's children, daughter Christine, mourned her father in a Facebook post.
'They say there's a reason they say time heals neither time or reason's will change how I feel it hurts my heart to know that I have to tell people my dad's dead,' she wrote.
'I thought I would have a longer time before I had to say that too know I can't just text you to see how your day went or to ask u to buy me my car or me calling you telling you about everything that's going is just so crazy to me.'
'And what hits the most I can't even tell you how much I loved you or even just talk about everything we had to talk about still I had so many questions I had to ask u still. Love you dad forever.'
Gunfire rang out around 4 a.m. in the capital Kinshasa, a Reuters reporter said. Armed men attacked the presidency in the city center, according to spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.
Another attack took place at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament who is tipped to become speaker, Kamerhe's spokesman, Michel Moto Muhima, and the Japanese ambassador said in posts on X.
Moto Muhima said two guards and an attacker had been killed in that incident. Ekenge also said one attacker was killed there.
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A shell fired from Kinshasa hit the city of Brazzaville in neighboring Republic of Congo, injuring several people, that country's government said in a statement, adding that one person had been hospitalized.
He said Malanga first attempted and aborted a coup in 2017 and that one of the American citizens arrested was Malanga's son.
A Facebook page appearing to belong to Malanga posted a live-streamed video of what appeared to be the attack.
'We, the militants, are tired. We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,' Malanga said in Lingala in the video.
U.S. Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said in a post on social media that she was 'very concerned' by reports that American citizens had allegedly been involved in the events.
'Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any U.S. citizen involved in criminal acts,' she said.
The U.S. embassy had earlier issued a security alert warning of 'ongoing activity by DRC security elements' and reports of gunfire in the area.
The United Nations' stabilization mission in the DRC said that its chief, Bintou Keita, condemned the incidents in the strongest terms and offered her support to the Congolese authorities in a post on X.
Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term as president in December, but has yet to name a government, six weeks after appointing a prime minister.
Kamerhe was a candidate for speaker of parliament in an election that had been scheduled for Saturday but was delayed by Tshisekedi.