Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond
| Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond | |
|---|---|
| First State Commissioner of the Republic of Zaire | |
|
In office August 27, 1980 – April 23, 1981 |
|
| Preceded by | Bo-Boliko Lokonga |
| Succeeded by | N'Singa Udjuu |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 4, 1938 Musumba, Lualaba Province, Belgian Congo |
| Died | July 27, 2003 (aged 64) Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Political party |
MPR (until 1990) UFERI (1990–2003) |
Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond (August 4, 1938 – July 27, 2003) was a prominent Zairian politician.
Born in Musumba, Lualaba District, a member of the Lunda tribe and a nephew of the Katangan leader, Moise Tshombe, Nguza was a pock-marked child who rose rapidly through government posts and gained the favour of President Mobutu Sese Seko.
Nguza received a master's degree in international relations from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and returned to Zaire to serve as Foreign Minister from 1972–1974 and 1976–1977, as well serving as political director of the MPR, the country's only legal political party. Fluent in six African languages as well as English, French, Dutch, and German, Nguza's stature within Zaire and in the international community was such that he was considered a possible successor to Mobutu as President of Zaire.
However, in 1977, he fell out of favor with Mobutu, who accused Nguza of attempting to seduce the first lady while simultaneously plotting high treason, and was imprisoned and sentenced to death. According to Nguza, Mobutu personally threatened to shoot him. Many believe that Nguza's sole crime was having been mentioned in the foreign press (during the first Shaba invasion) as a possible successor to Mobutu. During his interrogation, Nguza was subjected to torture which included the insertion of a metal tube into his penile shaft, through which jets of air were introduced, causing the blood vessels to rupture, and the application of electrical shocks to his testicles. The torture is said to have left him impotent.
A year later, following international pressure, Nguza received a presidential pardon and was again named Foreign Minister in 1979. He became First State Commissioner of Zaire in 1980.
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