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Zaire
Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-largest country in the world from 1965 to 1991. With a population of over 23 million, Zaire was the most populous Francophone country in Africa. Zaire was strategically important to the West during the Cold War, particularly the U.S., as a counterbalance to Soviet influence in Africa. The U.S. and its allies supported the Mobutu regime (1965–1997) with military and economic aid to prevent the spread of communism. The country was a one-party totalitarian military dictatorship, run by Mobutu Sese Seko and his Popular Movement of the Revolution. Zaire was established following Mobutu's seizure of power in a military coup in 1965, after five years of political upheaval following independence from Belgium known as the Congo Crisis. Zaire ...
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Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer who was the first and only president of Zaire from 1971 to 1997. Previously, Mobutu served as the second president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1971. He also served as the fifth chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity from 1967 to 1968. During the Congo Crisis, Mobutu, serving as Chief of Staff of the Army and supported by Belgium and the United States, deposed the democratically elected government of left-wing nationalist Patrice Lumumba in 1960. Mobutu installed a government that arranged for Lumumba's execution in 1961, and continued to lead the country's armed forces until he took power directly in a second coup in 1965. To consolidate his power, he established the Popular Movement of the Revolution as ...
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Zaire National Anthem
Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-largest country in the world from 1965 to 1991. With a population of over 23 million, Zaire was the most populous Francophone country in Africa. Zaire was strategically important to the West during the Cold War, particularly the U.S., as a counterbalance to Soviet influence in Africa. The U.S. and its allies supported the Mobutu regime (1965–1997) with military and economic aid to prevent the spread of communism. The country was a one-party totalitarian military dictatorship, run by Mobutu Sese Seko and his Popular Movement of the Revolution. Zaire was established following Mobutu's seizure of power in a military coup in 1965, after five years of political upheaval following independence from Belgium known as the Congo Crisis. Zaire had ...
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First Congo War
The First Congo War, also known as Africa's First World War, was a Civil war, civil and international military conflict that lasted from 24 October 1996 to 16 May 1997, primarily taking place in Zaire (which was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the conflict). The war resulted in the overthrow of Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko, who was replaced by rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila. This conflict, which also involved multiple neighboring countries, set the stage for the Second Congo War (1998–2003) due to tensions between Kabila and his former allies. By 1996, Zaire was in a state of political and economic collapse, exacerbated by long-standing internal strife and the destabilizing effects of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which had led to the influx of refugees and militant groups into the country. The Zairean government under Mobutu, weakened by years of dictatorship and corruption, was unable to maintain control, and the army had deteriorated significa ...
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Popular Movement Of The Revolution
The Popular Movement of the Revolution (, Abbreviation, abbr. MPR) was the ruling political party in Zaire (known for part of its existence as the Democratic Republic of the Congo). For most of its existence, it was one-party state, the only legally permitted party in the country. It was founded by Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (later Mobutu Sese Seko) on 20 May 1967. Ideology The official ideology of the MPR, as laid down in the Manifesto of N'sele in May 1967, incorporated "nationalism", "revolution", and "Authenticité (Zaire), authenticity". Revolution was described as a "truly national revolution, essentially pragmatic," which called for "the repudiation of both capitalism and communism."Crawford Young and Thomas Turner, ''The Rise and Decline of the Zairian State'', p. 210 One of the MPR's slogans was "Neither Left-wing politics, left nor Right-wing politics, right," to which would be added "nor even Centrism, centre" in later years. Nevertheless, historians consider Mobutu's re ...
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La Zaïroise
"" ( French for "The Zairian") was the national anthem of Zaire, from 1971 to 1997. The lyrics were written by Joseph Lutumba, and the music was composed by Simon-Pierre Boka Di Mpasi Londi. Lyrics Official lyrics In local languages Modern usage Zaire's national anthem has been used by the National Congress for the Defence of the People, a Congolese militia, and has been used during protests against Félix Tshisekedi in 2020, mostly by Mobutists. The self-proclaimed, New Zaire Government in Exile, which tried to overthrow the Congolese government in May 2024, uses the national flag and anthem of Zaire. The Republic of Molossia, a self-declared micronation in the United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ..., uses the melody of ''L ...
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List Of Prime Ministers Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
This is a list of Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prime ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), Republic of the Congo and Zaire) since the country's independence in 1960. The current Prime Minister is Judith Suminwa, since 12 June 2024; she is the List of elected and appointed female heads of state and government, first woman in the post. List of officeholders ;Political parties ;Other affiliations Timeline Rank by time in office See also * Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo * President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ** List of presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo * Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo * List of colonial governors of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo Notes References External links World Statesmen – Congo (Kinshasa)
{{Democratic Republic of the Congo topics Prime ministers of the ...
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Constitution Of Zaire
The Constitution of Zaire (), was promulgated on 15 August 1974, revised on 15 February 1978, and amended on 5 July 1990. It provided a renewed legal basis for the regime of Mobutu Sese Seko who had emerged as the country's dictator after the Congo Crisis in 1965. Defining state power as an extension of Mobutu's power, the 1974 constitution codified Zaire as a one-party state with the Popular Movement of the Revolution as the only legally permitted party. It enshrined the status of Mobutism as the state ideology. The 1974 constitution was the third in the Congo's post-independence history, replacing earlier constitutions adopted to replace the original basic law of 1960, adopted in 1964 and 1967. According to academics Merwin Crawford Young and Thomas Turner, the 1974 constitution should be seen as the culmination of a period of Zairean political history beginning in 1970. The phase was marked by growing national self-confidence and the emergence of Mobutu's '' Authenticit ...
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Mobutism
Mobutism () or Mobutuism () was the state ideology of Zaire (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) during the latter half of the 20th century, when it was under the one-party rule of the Popular Movement of the Revolution. Mobutism encompassed and glorified the thoughts, visions, and policies of Zairian president and self-proclaimed "Father of the Nation," Mobutu Sese Seko. The ideology included such major Mobutu initiatives as " Zairianization." The Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR) was entrenched as the single legal political party in a one-party state in Zaire. Originally Mobutu designed the constitution of Zaire to have a figurehead opposition party but later claimed that the constitution only recommended but did not demand this and thus a one-party state was created and all other political parties were banned afterwards in 1966. The ideology laid down in the Manifesto of N'sele, incorporated "nationalism," "revolution," and " authenticity." Revolution was descr ...
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Flag Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
The national flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a sky blue flag, adorned with a yellow star in the upper left canton and cut diagonally by a red stripe with a yellow fimbriation. It was adopted on 18 February 2006. A new constitution, ratified in December 2005 and which came into effect in February 2006, promoted a return to a flag similar to that flown between 1966 and 1971, with a change from a royal blue to sky blue background. Blue represents peace. Red stands for "the blood of the country's martyrs", yellow the country's wealth; and the star symbol the future for the country. During the period between 1971 and 1997 as Zaire, the flag consisted of a light green fabric with a yellow circle holding a flaming torch. It is one of the few national flags incorporating a diagonal line, with other examples including Tanzania, Namibia, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Brunei. Colours The colours approximation is listed below: Previous flags The p ...
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Catholic Church In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Catholicism has a major presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. According to the 2020 Report on International Religious Freedom, an estimated 47.3% of the population are Catholic. There are six archdioceses and 41 dioceses. The largest of these is the Archdiocese of Kinshasa. Its archbishop, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, is the president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. The impact of the Catholic Church in the DRC is difficult to overestimate. Schatzberg has called it the country's "only truly national institution apart from the state." Besides involving more than 50 percent of the population in its religious services, its schools have educated over 60 percent of the nation's primary school students and more than 40 percent of its secondary students during the 20th century. The church owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals ...
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Mpinga Kasenda
Mpinga Kasenda (30 August 1937 – 7 May 1994) was a political figure in Zaire under Mobutu Sese Seko. Kasenda was the prime minister of Zaire from 6 July 1977 to 6 March 1979 and the foreign minister from 1993 to 1994. He was killed in a plane crash near the airport in Kinshasa. Biography Mpinga Kasenda was born on 30 August 1937 in Tshilomba, Kasaï, Belgian Congo. He earned a doctorate in political science from Lovanium University. On 29 January 1985, at Mobutu's recommendation Kasenda was elected First Vice Chairman of the Central Committee Bureau of the Popular Movement of the Revolution The Popular Movement of the Revolution (, Abbreviation, abbr. MPR) was the ruling political party in Zaire (known for part of its existence as the Democratic Republic of the Congo). For most of its existence, it was one-party state, the only l ... (MPR). Citations References * Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
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Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing Megacity, megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million in 2024. It is the List of cities and towns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most densely populated city in the DRC, the List of cities in Africa by population, most populous city and List of urban areas in Africa by population, third-largest metropolitan area in Africa, and the world's List of largest cities, twenty-second most populous city and List of national capitals by population, fourth-most populous capital city. It is the leading Economy, economic, Politics, political, and cultural center of the DRC, housing several industries including manufacturing, telecommunications, List of banks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, banking, and entertainment. The ...
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