NAIROBI, Kenya, January 7, 2026 – Algerian forward Mohammed Amoura was on the receiving end of stinging criticism after mocking a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fan who has won admiration for his imitation of the country’s first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba.
Michel Kuka, who bears a striking resemblance to Lumumba, has been attending his nation’s matches at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, by standing upright for 90 plus minutes, with his right arm raised.
The pose imitates a statue of the independence leader, which stands in the capital Kinshasa.
Subsequently, Kuka has won a lot of plaudits and attention for flavouring the tournament with the African-ness it deserves.
Amoura that is out of order mate 😂 pic.twitter.com/sy3cqTZDyy
— Dean Ammi (@AlgerianFooty) January 6, 2026
Sadly, Amoura – in a blatant case of cultural and historical sensitivity – mocked Kuka by imitating his pose before falling to the ground, theatrically.
This was in the aftermath of the North Africans’ 1-0 win over DRC in the last 16 of the competition in Rabat on Tuesday evening, courtesy of Adil Boulbina’s 119th minute strike.
The goal sank the hearts of DRC fans, whose team came into the tournament as one of the favourites for the trophy, following a good run in the Afcon 2025 and 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Kuka, visibly distraught, slowly lowered his arm as tears streamed down his cheeks.
Nonetheless, his symbolic way of honouring one of Africa’s greatest sons and part of the continent’s colourful history has become one of the most memorable and indelible marks of the 35th edition of Afcon.
He has been extensively covered by the media in addition to meeting high-profile dignitaries, including Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe.
