CONGONLESE MOURN THEIR RUMBA KING !

Thousands of fans have taken to the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital to mourn Madilu System, known as "Congo's King of Rumba". Police controlled the crowds as they accompanied the singer's coffin from Kinshasa's main stadium, where it had lain for three days, to the cemetery. Madilu played with the famous TP OK Jazz band led by the late Franco Luambo Makiadi in the 1980s. Congolese music is world renowned and has an important place in life there.

Since his death at the age of 57, the country's radio stations have been playing Madilu's music for hours on end in tribute to him. The BBC's Arnaud Zajtman in Kinshasa says many thousands turned out to pay their respects at the stadium in one of the country's best attended funerals in many years.

"Since you are gone, we do not live, we do not eat," sang some leading Congolese musicians as they surrounded Madilu's coffin. He says the old, young, star musicians and minsters all attended. "I've been attending Madilu's funeral for two days while the body was exposed. I don't know when there will be another Madilu," one woman said as the coffin was moved from the stadium to its last resting place.

The rich and famous were allowed into the cemetery; the fans were kept at a distance from where they tried to get a glimpse of the ceremony, our correspondent says. Madilu, born Jean De Dieu Bilau, died in a Kinshasa hospital on 11 August; he had suffered from diabetes. His other nicknames were Ramses II and the Grand Ninja.

Music critics say he will be most remembered for his duets with Franco. After Franco's death, he sang alone and continued to tour with band members. Lubangi Muniania, head of music label Tabilulu Productions, says Madilu was arguably one of the best composers in DR Congo. "To most fans of TP OK Jazz, Madilu had a particular way of singing, his system - no wonder he became System," he wrote in tribute to the singer.

BBC NEWS REPORT.