Saint-Denis: Congolese singer Fally Ipupa cancels his appearance to avoid being co-opted by LFI

The Congolese star was scheduled to meet his fans on Monday in Saint-Denis and receive the title of honorary citizen of the city. However, the event was canceled just minutes before his arrival, following tensions surrounding potential political exploitation.

The wait ultimately proved futile for dozens of Saint-Denis residents. On Monday, some fans had been waiting for over three hours outside the Legion of Honor hall, where a meeting with Congolese star Fally Ipupa was scheduled. The program included a photo session, autograph signings, interaction with the public, and the presentation of the title of honorary citizen of the city to the singer, who had performed at the Stade de France in early May.

We are currently at the Legion of Honour in Saint-Denis. The event was scheduled for 2 p.m., and it has now been more than 3 hours that residents and guests have been waiting for @fallyipupa01 … but he still hasn't shown up.

This is deeply regrettable, especially in… pic.twitter.com/LUKBi8DBfT

— Amélie Mbk 🇨🇩 (@ameliembk_)

Chargement du post X/Twitter...

But just minutes before the event was due to start, the cancellation was announced to the public. On stage, Ethel Ngombe, a close friend of the artist who had arrived that morning from Kinshasa, spoke alongside the mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko , and the Val-d'Oise deputy , Carlos Martens Bilongo .

"Unfortunately, there was a wave of fake news and rumors which created conditions that were no longer optimal for the artist to come," Ethel Ngombe explained to the audience.

“But I’m not giving up. There’s a Congolese saying that truth often takes the stairs while lies take the elevator, so it arrives much faster. But in the end, the truth always comes out,” he continued.

In a statement published on Facebook , the City of Saint-Denis referred to "pressure" allegedly exerted on the singer's entourage. According to the municipality, he was ultimately convinced "that this event could be exploited for political gain, which the City deeply regrets." The mayor's office also stated that it "regrets that an initiative conceived for the residents could not ultimately take place under the planned conditions," noting that "significant human, logistical, and financial resources" had been mobilized to organize the event.

Contacted by Le Parisien , Fally Ipupa's manager offered his version of events. "We wanted to involve young people and families from Saint-Denis, particularly through associations, after the concerts at the Stade de France. But we never imagined it would be so formal!" explained Madina Djoboungue. According to him, the announced presence of local elected officials contributed to the artist's team's hesitation.

“When we learned that the mayor and elected officials would be there, it made us hesitate. We don’t want to be involved in political matters, especially with elections less than a year away,” he continued. The manager maintains, however, that “no pressure from anyone” was exerted on the singer’s team.

"We're going to make a short message to apologize," he promises, adding that Fally Ipupa will return to meet his fans in Saint-Denis, "without fail."