DR Congo Superfan Denied US Visa for World Cup Match

Congo. Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) famous supporter Michel Kuka Mboladinga was deprived of supporting his team in an important World Cup match held on Saturday.

He will not be able to attend the decisive match against Uzbekistan because he was not given a US visa. Mboladinga gained prominence during the final stages of the Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco earlier this year.

During every match of DR Congo, he used to stand still without any gestures as a tribute to the country's first Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. Lumumba, who was shot dead in 1961, is still considered a highly respected figure in the country.

Mboladinga's face closely resembles Lumumba's. He often wears attractive attire with the colors of his country's flag.

Although he supported the team in DR Congo's last match in Mexico, he will not be present in the match in Atlanta, where a win was necessary to reach the last 32.

Kapinga Yvette Ngandu, the Congolese ambassador in Washington D.C., expressed hope that Mboladinga would get a visa if DR Congo reaches the knockout stage.

She told Reuters on Saturday, 'I hope he will be able to give his unique style of support to the team.'

Nickname 'Lumumba Vea'
Due to his style of paying tribute to Lumumba, Mboladinga is known as 'Lumumba Vea'. He stands still with one hand raised, similar to the statue of Lumumba in Kinshasa.

Even as surrounding supporters sing, dance, and cheer loudly, Mboladinga remains motionless throughout the entire match.

His unique support style made him known worldwide. After returning to his country from Morocco in January, the Congolese government gifted him a car.

He was also present in the stands during DR Congo's match against Colombia in Guadalajara on Tuesday. DR Congo lost that match 1-0. He arrived at the tournament venue a bit late to present his unique support style at the World Cup.

Mboladinga's World Cup journey was also delayed because travel restrictions were imposed on travelers from DR Congo due to the Ebola outbreak there.

According to government data, as of Friday, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo has reached 1,203, with 321 deaths.