A Reminiscence: The Death of Bokassa

By Fanta DEMBA | LAMINE MEDIA

(Bangui, November 3, 2026 | LNC) Bokassa—do you remember him? The man behind the New Year’s Eve coup d’état against his own cousin, David Dacko. It’s worth asking: when someone carries out a coup, whose consent are they seeking? By that logic, all those who have staged coups in Africa—to focus just on that region—are illegitimate. Take Sassou N’Guesso, for instance, who has held power in Congo-Brazzaville for 25 years. On this November 3rd, the Central African Republic marks thirty years since the passing of Jean-Bedel Bokassa. To bring up Bokassa is to stir up debate and controversy. He was responsible for prison torture and the severing of thieves' hands; he mandated school uniforms that impoverished parents could not afford. Yet, he was also a builder. He established the airline Air Centrafrique, the Safari Hotel, the central market in Bangui, the country’s only university, the Bangui M’Poko Airport, and the nation’s road network—all his doing. His successors have lived off his legacy; he was an ambitious leader and a pioneer of national development. As for Touadéra—who will eventually leave office, if only through death—what will he leave behind for others?
A group of high school students listens to a speech by Emperor Bokassa. One of them, Jonathan, remarks:
“Bokassa is an essential, foundational builder.” "I take note of his ambition to modernize the country, strengthen the authority of the state, and promote infrastructure and development projects," explains Jonathan. "I see him as a determined leader, committed to national sovereignty and keen to secure a more prominent place for his country on the international stage."
Nathanaëlle, one of the young people in the group, holds a different view:
"Bokassa did leave a certain legacy, but I firmly condemn his methods of governance, which were rooted in violence and dictatorship," she points out. "His regime was marked by imprisonments, arbitrary killings, and abuses of power. He also spent millions of state francs on his coronation—a grand, ostentatious display. Furthermore, his reign sowed deep divisions."

LNC
Date: November 3, 2026
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