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Zaire (1971 – 1997)
Following five years of extreme instability and civil unrest, Joseph-Désiré
Mobutu, now Lieutenant General, overthrew Kasavubu in a 1965 Central
Intelligence Agency-backed coup. He had the support of the United States on
account of his staunch opposition to Communism, which would presumably make him
a roadblock to Communist schemes in Africa. It is also argued that the Western
support for Mobutu was also related to his allowing businesses to export the
many natural resources of Zaire without worrying about environmental, labour, or
other regulations. A one-party system was established, and Mobutu declared
himself head of state. He would periodically hold elections in which he was the
only candidate.
Relative peace and stability was achieved; however, Mobutu's government was
accused of human rights violations, repression, a cult of personality (every
Congolese bank note displayed his image, his portrait was displayed in all
public buildings, most businesses, and on billboards, and it was common for
ordinary people to wear his likeness on their clothing), and excessive
corruption. In 1984 he was said to have $4 billion (USD), an amount close to the
country's national debt, deposited in a personal Swiss bank account.
In an effort to spread African national consciousness, starting on June 1, 1966,
Mobutu renamed the nation's cities (Léopoldville became Kinshasa [the country
was now Democratic Republic of The Congo – Kinshasa], Stanleyville became
Kisangani, and Elisabethville became Lubumbashi). This renaming campaign was
completed in the 1970s. In 1971, he renamed the country the Republic of Zaire,
its fourth name change in 11 years and its sixth overall. The Congo River became
the Zaire River. In 1972, Mobutu renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu
Wa Za Banga.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. relations with Kinshasa cooled,
as Mobutu was no longer deemed a necessary Cold War ally, and his opponents
within Zaire stepped up demands for reform. This atmosphere contributed to
Mobutu's declaring the Third Republic in 1990, whose constitution was supposed
to pave the way for democratic reform. The reforms turned out to be largely
cosmetic, and Mobutu's rule continued until conflict forced him to flee Zaire in
1997. The name of the nation was returned to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, as the name Zaire carried strong connections to the rule of Mobutu.
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