Pierre Moutouari receives national tribute in Brazzaville

The Republic of the Congo held a national tribute for musician Pierre Moutouari on August 12, 2026, at the Palais des congrès in Brazzaville. The ceremony honored the singer’s significant impact on Congolese rumba and soukous music.

Moutouari passed away in Paris on October 8, 2025, at the age of 75. His return to his homeland was delayed for ten months due to family disputes and legal proceedings. The ceremony was led by Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso on behalf of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, with attendance from political, diplomatic, and cultural figures, including a delegation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

During the eulogy, Minister of Culture Jean-Claude Gakosso described Moutouari as an exceptional figure who influenced generations of listeners for over half a century. Born in Kinkala in 1950, Moutouari rose to prominence in the late 1960s with the orchestra Sinza-Kotoko, winning a gold medal at the Pan-African Youth Festival in Tunis in 1973.