Congolese music star Aurlus Mabele died yesterday in a hospital in Paris, France, aged 67. His fans called him king of Soukous, which is high-tempo Congolese dance music, popular across Africa. Mabele, whose real name is Aurelien Miatsonama, was from Congo-Brazzaville and moved to France in the 1980s. He became famous across East Africa in the 1980s, selling more than 10 million albums. Mabele visited Namibia in 1996 where he performed ‘Loketo’ – a track composed with Oshiwambo phrases. It is suspected that Mabele died of COVID-19 infection and other stroke-related complications.