Mobutu Sese Seko

Mobutu Sese Seko was a Congolese military officer who ruled Zaire from 1965 to 1997, centralizing power and promoting a nationalist campaign called Authenticité.

Patronage: The distribution of jobs, resources, or favors in exchange for political loyalty. Mobutu used state resources and personal favors to bind officials and supporters to his rule.
Belgian Congo: The Belgian colony in Central Africa that became independent as the Republic of the Congo in 1960. Mobutu’s military career began in the colonial army before independence.
Laurent-Désiré Kabila: The Congolese rebel leader who overthrew Mobutu in 1997 and became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kabila’s rebellion ended Mobutu’s rule and reversed the country’s Zairean name.
Zaire: The name used for the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 until 1997. Mobutu renamed the country Zaire as part of his effort to define a distinct national identity.
One-party state: A political system in which one party legally dominates or monopolizes government. The Popular Movement of the Revolution became the sole legal party under Mobutu.
Congolese independence: The end of Belgian colonial rule and establishment of the Republic of the Congo on June 30, 1960. The new state’s fragile institutions created the crisis in which Mobutu rose to prominence.
Etienne Tshisekedi: A Congolese opposition politician who repeatedly challenged Mobutu’s government and later led the Union for Democracy and Social Progress. Tshisekedi became one of Mobutu’s most persistent domestic political opponents.
First Congo War: The 1996–1997 conflict that overthrew Mobutu and brought Laurent-Désiré Kabila to power. The war forced Mobutu from the country and ended his presidency.
Kleptocracy: A system of government in which leaders use public power to enrich themselves. Mobutu’s personal accumulation of wealth became a defining feature of his government.
Congo Crisis: A period of political turmoil and armed conflict in the Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 1965. Mobutu gained influence through the army during this struggle over the country’s government and unity.

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