Pierre Kompany Campaign
In 1975, Pierre Kompany came to Belgium as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Now, 43 years later, he's been elected as the first Black mayor in the country.
Kompany was elected mayor of Ganshoren borough in Brussels after winning "28.38% of the vote to top the polls in the municipality of Ganshoren, in north-west Brussels," reports CNN.
"My success, my election, shows the direction of the march of history, which is towards a more peaceful history," Kompany said. “I think one has to regard this as a victory for humanity as a whole."
His two sons, professional football players Vincent and Francois Kompany, took to social media to congratulate their father on his historic win. Vincent wrote in an Instagram post: "History! We are so proud of you dad. Came over from the DR Congo, as a refugee, in 1975. Now gained the trust of your local community becoming the first ever Black elected mayor in Belgium! It was long overdue but it's progress. Massive congrats!"
"I'm especially proud, and so is the whole Congolese community, that a Black man was directly elected by Belgians in a city like Ganshoren, which has maybe 100 people of Congolese origin," Mathieu Zana Etambala, a professor and expert in African colonial history, told the New York Times.
Congratulations, Mayor Kompany!