Laurent Kabila
| Laurent-Désiré Kabila | |
|---|---|
Laurent Kabila at Palais du Peuple Kinshasa 1997
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| 3rd President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
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In office May 17, 1997 – January 16, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Mobutu Sese Seko (as President of Zaire) |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Kabila |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 27, 1939 Baudouinville, Belgian Congo |
| Died | January 16, 2001 (aged 61) Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Cause 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(s) | Sifa Mahanya |
| Children |
Aimée Kabila (1976–2008) Jaynet Kabila Joseph Kabila Zoé Kabila |
| Alma mater | University of Dar es Salaam |
| Profession | Rebel leader, President |
| Religion | Anglicanism |
Laurent-Désiré Kabila (
pronunciation ) (November 27, 1939 – January 16, 2001), or simply Laurent Kabila, was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by one of his bodyguards on January 16, 2001. He was succeeded eight days later by his son Joseph.
Kabila was born to a member of the Luba tribe in Baudoinville, Katanga Province, (now Moba, Tanganyika Province) in the Belgian Congo. His father was a Luba and his mother was a Lunda. It is claimed that he studied abroad (political philosophy in Paris, got a PhD in Tashkent, in Belgrade and at last in Dar es Salaam) but no proof has been found nor provided.
When the Congo gained independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960 and the Congo crisis began, Kabila had a role as a "deputy commander" in the Jeunesses Balubakat, the youth wing of the Patrice Lumumba-aligned General Association of the Baluba People of Katanga (Balubakat), actively fighting the secessionist forces of Moise Tshombe. Within months, Joseph Mobutu overthrew Lumumba, and in 1962 Kabila was appointed to the provincial assembly for North Katanga and was chief of cabinet for Minister of Information Ferdinand Tumba.
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