Laurent-Désiré Kabila
As the First Congo War broke out, Nzemba initially sided with Mobutu against the rebels led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, but as Kabila's Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL or ADFLC) approached the city, Nzemba quickly switched sides. Nzemba declared that he was ready to work with AFDL a week before the fall of Mbuji-Mayi.