Laurent-Désiré Kabila
Laurent-Désiré Kabila (French pronunciation: [lo.ʁɑ̃ de.zi.ʁe ka.bi.la]) (27 November 1939 – 16 January 2001) or more succinctly, Laurent Kabila (US: ⓘ), was a Congolese rebel and politician who served as the third President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1997 until his assassination in 2001.
Laurent-Désiré Kabila | |
|---|---|
Kabila in 1998 | |
| 3rd President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| In office 17 May 1997 – 18 January 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Mobutu Sese Seko (as President of Zaire) |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Kabila |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 November 1939 Baudouinville or Jadotville, Belgian Congo |
| Died | 18 January 2001 (aged 61) Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Manner of death | Assassination |
| Nationality | Congolese |
| Political party | People's Revolution Party (1967–1996) Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (1996–1997) Independent (1997–2001) |
| Spouse | Sifa Mahanya |
| Children | at least 9 or 10 (including Joseph Kabila, Jaynet Kabila, Zoé Kabila and Aimée Kabila Mulengela) |
| Alma mater | University of Dar es Salaam |
| Profession | Rebel leader, President |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Battles/wars |
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A longtime opponent of Mobutu Sese Seko, he led the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (ADFLC), a Rwandan and Ugandan-sponsored rebel group that invaded Zaire and overthrew Mobutu during the First Congo War from 1996 to 1997. Having now become the new president of the country, whose name was changed back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kabila found himself in a delicate position as a puppet of his foreign backers. The following year, he ordered the departure of all foreign troops from the country following the Kasika massacre to prevent a potential coup, leading to the Second Congo War in which his former Rwandan and Ugandan allies began sponsoring several rebel groups to overthrow him including the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC). During the war, he was assassinated by one of his bodyguards, and was succeeded ten days later by his 29-year-old son Joseph.