Heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Encyclopedia
This is the list of the Heads of State of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(formerly Zaire
) since independence in 1960. The current head of state
is President
Joseph Kabila
, since 26 January 2001.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(formerly Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
) since independence in 1960. The current head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
is President
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , is Congo's elected Head of State, and the ex officio "Supreme Commander" of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila...
, since 26 January 2001.
Heads of State
| Tenure | Portrait | Incumbent | Affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) The Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960... |
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| (République du Congo) | ||||
| 1 July 1960 to 1 August 1964 | Joseph Kasavubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu was the first President of the Republic of the Congo, today called Democratic Republic of the Congo.... , President |
ABAKO | ||
| 31 March 1961 to 5 August 1961 | Antoine Gizenga Antoine Gizenga Antoine Gizenga is a Congolese politician who was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from December 30, 2006 to 10 October 2008... , Head of State |
MNC (L) | Rebel government at Stanleyville Kisangani Kisangani is the capital of Orientale Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the 3rd largest urbanized city in the country and the largest of the cities that lie in the tropical woodlands of the Congo.... |
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| Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) The Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960... |
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| (République Democratique du Congo) | ||||
| 1 August 1964 to 24 November 1965 | Joseph Kasavubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu was the first President of the Republic of the Congo, today called Democratic Republic of the Congo.... , President |
ABAKO | Deposed | |
| 24 November 1965 to 20 May 1967 | Joseph-Désiré Mobutu Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997... , President |
Mil | ||
| 20 May 1967 to 27 October 1971 | MPR | |||
| Republic of Zaire Zaire The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In... |
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| (République du Zaire) | ||||
| 27 October 1971 to 10 January 1972 | Joseph-Désiré Mobutu Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997... , President |
MPR | Changed name to Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997... |
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| 10 January 1972 to 16 May 1997 | Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997... , President |
Deposed at the end of the First Congo War First Congo War The First Congo War was a revolution in Zaire that replaced President Mobutu Sésé Seko, a decades-long dictator, with rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Destabilization in eastern Zaire that resulted from the Rwandan genocide was the final factor that caused numerous internal and external actors... |
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| Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world... |
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| (République Democratique du Congo) | ||||
| 16 May 1997 to 29 May 1997 | Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by his bodyguards on January 18, 2001... , Acting Head of State |
ADFL | ||
| 29 May 1997 to 16 January 2001 | Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by his bodyguards on January 18, 2001... , President |
Assassinated | ||
| 17 January 2001 to 26 January 2001 |  |
Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila... , Interim President |
ADFL | |
| 26 January 2001 to Present | Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila... , President |
ADFL/PPRD | ||
Affiliations
- ABAKO - Alliance of the BakongoABAKOABAKO or Alliance des Bakongo was a cultural and political organization, headed by Joseph Kasa-Vubu, which emerged in the late 1950s as vocal opponent of Belgian colonial rule in what today is the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- MNC (L) - Congolese National Movement (Lumumba)Mouvement National CongolaisThe Mouvement National Congolais is a political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.-History:The party was founded in 1958 as a nationalist, pro-independence group in the Belgian Congo...
- MPR - Popular Movement of the RevolutionPopular Movement of the RevolutionThe Popular Movement of the Revolution was a Zairian political party established on May 20, 1967 by then-President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu .-Ideology:...
- ADFL - Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of CongoAlliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of CongoThe Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire was a coalition of Congolese dissidents, disgruntled minority groups and nations that toppled President Mobutu Sese Seko and brought Laurent Kabila to power in the First Congo War...
- PPRD - People's Party for Reconstruction and DemocracyPeople's Party for Reconstruction and DemocracyThe People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy is a center-left political party of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Mil - Military
Rank by time in office
| Rank | President | Time in office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997... |
|
| 2 | Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila... (Incumbent) |
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| 3 | Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu was the first President of the Republic of the Congo, today called Democratic Republic of the Congo.... |
|
| 4 | Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by his bodyguards on January 18, 2001... |
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See also
- Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
- President of the Democratic Republic of the CongoPresident of the Democratic Republic of the CongoThe President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , is Congo's elected Head of State, and the ex officio "Supreme Commander" of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
- Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the CongoPrime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , is Congo's Head of Government.-History:The current Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Adolphe Muzito...
- List of heads of government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- List of colonial heads of Congo
- Rulers of Katanga
- Rulers of Kuba
- Rulers of LubaRulers of Luba-List of Rulers of Luba:Territory located in present-day muLopwe = Kings/emperors-See also:*Congo**Congo, Democratic Republic of the***Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Rulers of Ruund (Luunda)
- Rulers of Kasongo Luunda (Yaka)
- Rulers of Kongo
- President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- ZaireZaireThe Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...