Laurent-Désiré Kabila

**Laurent-Désiré Kabila** (French pronunciation: [lo.ʁɑ̃ de.zi.ʁe ka.bi.la]; 27 November 1939 – 16 January 2001), wey people mostly dey call as **Laurent Kabila** anaa **Kabila the Father**, be Congolese rebel den politician wey serve as de third president of Democratic Republic of Congo from 1997 till dem assassinate am for 2001.

Kabila first show face as Mobutu Sese Seko ein opposition during de Congo Crisis (1960–1965). He join di Simba rebellion and lead one Communist-style breakaway state wey dem call Fizi insyd eastern Congo from 1967 to 1988 before he comot for public eye. For di 1990s, Kabila come back again as leader of di Alliance of Democratic Forces for de Liberation of Congo (ADFL), one rebel group wey Rwanda plus Uganda dey back. Dem invade Zaire and overthrow Mobutu during di First Congo War (1996–1997). After di war, Kabila become di new president, and dem change di kontri ein name back to Democratic Republic of Congo.

De following year, after de Kasika massacre, Kabila order all foreign troops make dem commot from de country to block any possible coup. Dis action spark di Second Congo War (1998–2003), as Rwanda plus Uganda come support some rebel groups wey wan overthrow am. For 2001, one of ein own bodyguards assassinate am, den ein 29-year-old kiddies Joseph take over as president.

## Early life
Kabila na Luba man wey dem born for Baudouinville for Katanga Province (wey now be Moba for Tanganyika Province), or some people talk say na for Jadotville (wey now be Likasi for Haut-Katanga Province) inside Belgian Congo. Ein poppie be Luba and ein mommie be Lunda, but because dem dey use poppie ein side for de patriarchal kinship system, na Luba dem take know am. People talk say he go study political philosophy abroad—say he get PhD for places like Paris, Tashkent, Belgrade, and finally Dar es Salaam—but up till now, nobody show clear evidence or proof for all dis claims.

## Political activities

### 1960s Congo Crisis
Just after Congo gain independence for 1960, Katanga break away under Moïse Tshombe ein leadership. Kabila come organize di Baluba people for Manono to fight against de secession. For September 1962, dem create new province wey dem call North Katanga. Kabila become member of de provincial assembly plus serve as chief of cabinet for Minister of Information Ferdinand Tumba. But by September 1963, Kabila plus some other young assembly members dem force dem make dem resign, as people accuse dem say dem dey support communism.

Kabila take side plus de hard-core Lumumbist Prosper Mwamba Ilunga. Wen de Lumumbist dem form Conseil National de Libération, dem send am go eastern Congo make e help organize revolution, especially for Kivu plus North Katanga provinces. Dis revolution na part of de bigger Simba rebellions wey dey happen across de provinces dat time. For 1965, Kabila set up one rebel base for cross-border from Kigoma, Tanzania, across Lake Tanganyika.

### Association plus Che Guevara
Kabila meet Che Guevara for late April 1965, dat time wey Guevara land for Congo plus like 100 Cuban men wey wan spark Cuban-style revolution take overthrow de Congolese government. Guevara support Kabila plus im rebel men for some months, but later Guevara reason say Kabila (wey be 26 years den) no be “de man of de hour” as e first believe. E talk say Kabila no dey serious — e dey always distracted, e men no get beta training or discipline. Guevara even complain say Kabila dey show up days late when e suppose bring supplies or backup, and instead of preparing for fight, Kabila dey spend plenty time for local bars plus brothels. Di wahala between Kabila and Guevara make di whole rebellion collapse by November dat same year.

For Guevara ein eye top, out of all de pipol wey he meet during ein Congo campaign, na only Kabila get "real qualities of mass leader"; but Guevara bash Kabila say he no get "revolutionary seriousness". After de rebellion fail, Kabila start dey do gold plus timber smuggling for Lake Tanganyika. He sana run bar plus brothel for Kigoma, Tanzania.

### Marxist mini-state (1967–1988)
For 1967, Kabila plus de small group of supporters move go de mountain area dem dey call Fizi – Baraka for South Kivu insyd Congo, wey dem form one party dem call People's Revolutionary Party (PRP). Plus help from de People's Republic of China, PRP create one secessionist Marxist state for South Kivu province, west of Lake Tanganyika.

De PRP state end for 1988 wey Kabila vanish, plenty pipol tink say he die. As he land Kampala, dem talk say Kabila meet Yoweri Museveni, wey later turn president of Uganda. Museveni plus former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere later link Kabila to Paul Kagame, wey go turn Rwanda ein president. Dis personal link dem turn very important for de mid-1990s time, as Uganda plus Rwanda dey look for Congolese face to use for their action for Zaire.

## First Congo War
As Rwandan Hutu refugees run enter Congo (wey dem dey call Zaire by den) after de 1994 genocide for Rwanda, de refugee camps wey dey de Zaire-Rwanda border turn like army base, as Hutu militia talk say dem go come back take power for Rwanda. De Kigali government see dem militia as threat to dem security, so dem dey look way to scatter de camps. After Kigali talk ein security worry give Kinshasa, say make dem move de camps go deeper insyd de country, but Kinshasa no mind dem, Kigali come believe say na only military action fit solve de matter. But to run military move insyd Zaire fit make de international community see am like invasion. So dem plan say make Banyamulenge rebellion start wey go act like cover. Na from there wey dem born de Alliance of Democratic Forces for de Liberation of Congo (AFDL), as Rwanda gather four Congolese political exiles, wey Kabila be dem spokesperson plus one of de co-founders, for 18 October 1996. Later, on 4 January 1997, dem gree say make dem join de four founding political parties into one movement wey go "gather all de live forces of de Congolese nation." Dem make Kabila de leader of AFDL as chairman of de executive committee.

As Kabila be native of Katanga, dem use am make de AFDL look more like national movement wey get Congolese face, no be just Tutsi movement. By mid-1997, de AFDL almost take over de whole country plus scatter wetin remain of Mobutu ein army. Na only de bad roads plus poor infrastructure slow down Kabila ein people; for plenti places, na only rough dirt road dem dey use wey people no dey pass regular. After peace talk wey no go anywhere wey dem do for South African ship wey dem dey call SAS Outeniqua, Mobutu run go exile on 16 May.

De next day, from ein base for Lubumbashi, Kabila declare say dem win de war and he make himself president. He suspend de Constitution plus change de name of de country from Zaire go Democratic Republic of de Congo — wey be de official name from 1964 reach 1971. Kabila enter Kinshasa grandly on 20 May and dem swear am in as president on 31 May, wey mark de start of ein time for power.

## Presidency (1997–2001)
Before before, Kabila be strong Marxist, but by dis time, ein policies turn more like social democracy. He talk say elections no go happen for two years, 'cause he need dat time to bring back order. Some people for West dey praise am say he be part of new kind African leaders, but critics dey talk say ein way no be different from Mobutu own — still be same authoritarian rule, corruption plus human rights wahala. As early as late 1997, people don already dey call am "another Mobutu. "Dem even accuse am say he dey try build ein own personality cult. Mobutu ein old information minister, Dominique Sakombi Inongo, Kabila still keep am. Na him come dey call Kabila “de Mzee,” and posters scatter all over de country wey talk say “Voici l'homme que nous avions besoin” — wey mean “Here be de man wey we need.”

By 1998, Kabila ein old allies wey be Uganda plus Rwanda turn against am, then dem start support new rebel groups — Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) plus Movement for de Liberation of Congo (MLC). But Kabila find new friends for Angola, Namibia plus Zimbabwe, and e manage hold ground for de south plus west side of de country. By July 1999, peace talks come lead to de withdrawal of most of de foreign soldiers dem.

## Assassination den trial
On 16 January 2001, Kabila dey inside ein office for Palais de Marbre wey dem shoot am, then dem rush am go Zimbabwe for medical treatment. DRC authorities still manage keep power, even though dem kill Kabila. But how e all happen still no clear. Some talk say Kabila die right there, as DRC ein then-health minister Leonard Mashako Mamba (wey dey de next office) reach sharp after de shooting. But government claim say Kabila still dey alive, so dem fly am go hospital for Zimbabwe after de shooting, make dem fit prepare for who go take over.

On 18 January, DRC government finally announce say he die from de gun wounds. One week later, dem bring ein body back to Congo for state funeral, then ten days later ein son, Joseph Kabila, take over as president. Dis move be say dem follow de "verbal testimony" wey de dead president give. De then Justice Minister Mwenze Kongolo plus Kabila ein aide-de-camp Eddy Kapend talk say Kabila tell dem say if anything happen to am, make ein son Joseph (wey be number two for de army by den) take over.

De investigation wey dem do on top Kabila ein killing make dem arrest 135 people, wey include four pikin, wey dem carry go special military tribunal. Dem say de main brain behind de killing be Colonel Eddy Kapend (wey be Kabila ein cousin), plus 25 others, wey dem sentence to death for January 2003, but dem no kill any of dem. Among de rest, 64 people get prison sentence — from six months reach life sentence — and 45 people dem free dem. Some people inside, like Kabila ein special advisor Emmanuel Dungia (wey be former ambassador to South Africa), dem accuse say dem try plan coup against Joseph Kabila. But plenty people believe say de trial no be fair, and say dem jail innocent people. One Al Jazeera documentary called *Murder in Kinshasa* break down all de doubts plus problems wey dey inside de case.

In January 2021, DRC's President Félix Tshisekedi pardoned all those convicted in the murder of Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 2001. Colonel Eddy Kapend and his co-defendants, who have been incarcerated for 15 years, were released.

## Personal life
He get like nine kiddies insyd ein marriage plus ein wife Sifa Mahanya: Josephine, Cécile, Fifi, Selemani, twins Jaynet plus Joseph, Zoé, Anina plus Tetia. Dem say too say he be de alleged poppie of Aimée Kabila Mulengela, wey ein mommie be Zaïna Kibangula.

## References

## Sources

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## Read further

* Boya, Odette M. "Contentious Politics and Social Change in Congo." *Security Dialogue* 32.1 (2001): 71–85.
* Fredriksen, John C. ed. *Biographical Dictionary of Modern World Leaders* (2003) pp 239–240.
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* Rosenblum, R. "Kabila's Congo." *Current History* 97 (May 1998) pp 193–198.
* Scharzberg, Michael G. "Beyond Mobutu: Kabila and the Congo." *Journal of Democracy,* 8 (October 1997): 70–84.
* Weiss, Herbert. "Civil war in the Congo." *Society* 38.3 (2001): 67–71.
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## External links

* Kabila Legacy by Human Rights Watch
* Retracing Che Guevara's Congo Footsteps by *BBC News*, November 25, 2004