Katanga

### Government Structure

Federal Semi-Constitutional Presidential Republic under a Stratocratic Military Junta

### Currency

Kongolese Dollar & (De facto) Portuguese Escudo

# State of Katanga

The Provisional Military Government of the State of Katanga, or as it's more commonly known Katanga, is a landlocked state in Central Africa. Katanga is a break away state from the nearby Kingdom of Kongo, formed after the Katangan Mutiny. Based in the Region's largest city of Lubumbashi, Katanga is privy to some of the region's most important resources.

## Colonial Era

The Portuguese began to enter Katanga in the late 1800s. By 1900, the entire region of Katanga was under the rule of the Portuguese. The Portuguese were primarily concentrated in mining and resource extraction giving the region a quite large economy and Industrial base. The Portuguese employed a primarily hands off administration employing the use of local elites and large corporations to govern the region. The Portuguese administration had a relatively deficient social environment as a result. No schools were official sanctioned by the administration, and as an result, all schools were privately run. The entire education system was based around missionary schools and company towns local schools. The largest school in Katanga, the Lumbumbashi University, was originally founded as a missionary school.

The colonial era is marked by abhorrent human rights violations because the Portuguese had no worker protections, so native Kongolese people were often abused in mining and plantation jobs. The Guarda Colonial Kongolesa mutiny would occur in 1951 with the Colonial Guard seizing Fernando De Cidade (now Kinshasa). Portugal would suppress the mutiny; however, it made them scale up their Interior Decolonization Program. In 1956, The Kingdom of Kongo gained it's independence with Katanga included.

## Kongolese Era

The Kongolese Era is marked by continued neglect of the province from the Kongolese Government. The Kingdom of Kongo's structure was heavily archaic with a heavy reliance on patronage. Many key positions were awarded exclusively to people of the Kongolese ethnic group. The Kongolese Government, to the dismay of the Katangese, continued to allow European Conglomerates to operate in Katanga. This policy resulted in a Workers' Strike in Lubumbashi on March 21st 1963. The Kongolese Government responded with military force dispersing the strike and only fueling unrest. While the economy of the province continued to grow, fueled by its natural resources, the People saw very little of it's wealth. This combined with the mismanagement from Kinshasa now created a brewing storm.

In 1966, the Kongolese government massively hiked taxes on European Corporations in the Kongo, but angering a massive pillar of support for the Kingdom only hampered it. On November 15th 1968, troops under Joseph-Désiré Mobutu started an tiny mutiny in response of a pay dispute. The dispute boiled over when General Maurice Mpolo sided with the mutiny and ordered his forces to resist the Kongolese Government. When the Kongolese Government attempted to restore order on February 9th, Mpolo resisted starting a civil war. Unknowing to the Kongolese Government, Mpolo had secretly been backed by the Katangese United Mining Organization (KUMO), a massive British corporation. Mpolo would soon receiving secret backing from the Commonwealth because of the KUMO's political lobbying.

## Katangan Secession

The Guarda Republicana de Katanga (Katangese Republican Guard) numbered 12,000 at the wars start. The Republican guard was faced against the Exército Real Kongolês (Royal Kongolese Army) numbering 45,000. While smaller, the Republican Guard was far better equipped and funded than the larger and disorganized Kongolese Army (thanks to a recent Commonwealth airlift of crucial supplies). The forces faced off outside of Lubumbashi on February 14th. The Kongolese Army was relatively disorganized and ill prepared against the entrenched in Republican Guard. After a failed offensive action against the Guard, the Kongolese Army was completely demoralized. The Republican Guard organized an counter offensive and forced the Kongolese Army to retreat to a more stable front. The Republican Guard continued to advance until finally reaching Mwene-Ditu. The battle of Mwene-Ditu on May 2nd was overall a stalemate resulting in the front lines solidifying. The separation from the Kingdom of Kongo was made official on September 3rd 1968.

## Modern Era

The newfound Katangese Government instituted an temporary military government until the situation has been stabilized. The official ruling party was declared to be the military's Reunião Republicana Nacional de Katanga (National Republican Rally of Katanga). The Katangese Government has relatively made true on its promises. Civil service reforms were enacted, and the massive Portuguese, Companhia de Mineração e Comércio Kongolesa (Kongolese Mining and Trade Company) was nationalized. Mpolo also made true on his promises to protect British interests refusing to go after the KUMO. Despite the current improvement, many are still unhappy. Some wish to join the Republic of North Congo, a relatively stable state that attracts the Pan-Africanists. Others wish to remain a regional government despite the RRNK's talk of a Kongolese Revolution. Even the RRNK is not stable because it's split into a massively jingoist Nationalist Wing and the Moderate Republican wing. The State of Katanga is now in a precarious situation. The Northern Republic of the Congo is speaking of an eventual Congolese unification while the revanchist Kingdom of Kongo eyes the Katangese with contempt.

## Economy

The economy of the Katanga is entirely based in the mining and natural resource industry. The abundance of resources allows for the state of function as it shores up the budget. The Economy while technically a free market is relatively corporatist. The two largest companies dwarf the competition. These being, the British Katangese United Mining Organization and the government ran, Companhia Mineira Nacional de Katangesa (Katangese National Mining Company) formed from the nationalization of the Kongolese Mining and Trade Company. Katanga is also privy to a decent industrial base created to process and use the raw materials the country is based on.

## Military

The Katangese army is the Guarda Republicana de Katanga (Katangese Republican Guard). The Republican Guard was formed on January 29th 1968 by an order of General Maurice Mpolo. The Republican Guard is fairly well equipped and trained by regional standards. This is because of heavy assistance from Britain in terms of material and advisors. The Guard is heavily reliant on Foreign aid and scavenging for equipment. The air force is the Força Aérea Republicana (Republican Air Force). It is equipped with some modern British fighters, but also some relatively older Portuguese planes taken from Lubumbashi Airport during the mutiny.

## Culture

A majority of Katagnese People are Christian because of the heavy mission work in the province. There is a small minority that still holds indiginous spiritual beliefs in the province. The majority of Katagense people are Catholic with a small number of protestants from French Missionaries. The region mainly comprises of subsistence farmers and mining workers. The Musical scene is mainly traditional with some Jazz styles being adopted by bands, mainly in Lubumbashi. The majority of the province is of Swahili origin, and that identification separates them from the Kongo.

## Government

The Government of the State of Katanga is organized into a bicameral parliament. The Upper House is called the National Council and it consists of traditional tribal leaders and 'special envoys' mainly all appointed by the military. The Upper House has very little power and mainly serves as a location for lobbying. Its limited powers include a veto (which can be overturned by a 2/3rds majority in the People's Assembly) and the ability to confirm judges and presidential cabinet nominees. The Lower House is called the People's Assembly, and technically acts as the chief legislative body in the province; however, most of it's powers have been delegated to the "Supreme Military Council" temporarily. The Supreme Military Council serves as the de facto governing body of the State of Katanga. It is chaired by the President Maurice Mpolo. It can issue laws in the form of Legislative Orders which can be issued without a vote.

The Judaical System is nominally independent from the Legislative and is granted the power to rule on laws, but all of its rulings can be overturned by a simple majority in the Supreme Military Council.

Lastly, the Executive is granted powers over foreign affairs, as well as being commander in chief of the Republican Guard. Katanga is de jure a multi-party republic, yet the National Republican Rally dominants all of the branches with a overwhelming super majority.

## Politics

The constitution of Katanga de jure allows for any opposition but de facto it is a one party state. The ruling dominant party is the Reunião Republicana Nacional de Katanga (National Republican Rally of Katanga). The RRNK is the party of the military's revolution against the Kongo; consequently, it follows the divide in the Military. The RRNK-Democratas Moderados (Democrat Moderates) represent the establishment of the RRNK. They are led by President Maurice Mpolo and they aim to establish a free, democratic state eventually. The RRNK-Nacionalistas ( or Mobutists) represents the radical young wing of the revolution. While not a coherent political force yet, the Nationalsts have gathered around Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. Mobutu's lieutenant, Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond, acts as the ideologue of the movement helping to further Mobutu's goals.

The only other party with any influence is CONACO-CONAKAT (Congolese National Convention-Confederation of Tribal Associations of Katanga). CONAKAT belongs to the super regional Congolese National Convention, and CONAKAT's party head is the same as the CONACO party head. This man is Moïse Tshombe. CONAKAT nominally represents a Market Liberal position, but in reality, serves as a source of KUMO lobbying. CONAKAT is able to act as a minor competitor to the RRNK and helps support the illusion of complete parliamentarian democracy in Katanga.

## Foreign Affairs

The State of Katanga has a strong relationship with the Britain and the Commonwealth. The British were the main benefactors of the Kataganese during the War of Katangese Succession. This relationship has allowed them to rapidly develop their armed forces and stabilize the new state. The State of Katanga is only recognized by members of the Commonwealth as an independent nation; however, it enjoys a de facto diplomatic relation with many of its regional neighbors.