Movement for the Liberation of the Congo
Mouvement de libération du Congo |
|
---|---|
Leader | Jean-Pierre Bemba |
The 2006 Presidential election candidate | Jean-Pierre Bemba |
Founded | April 5, 2003 |
Headquarters | 6, Avenue du Port, Gombe, Kinshasa |
Ideology |
Nationalism, Populism, Liberalism |
Colours | Blue, Yellow |
Seats in the National Assembly |
64 / 500
|
Seats in the Senate |
14 / 108
|
Website | |
http://www.mlc-rdc.org/ | |
The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (French: Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo) is a political party in Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that fought the government throughout the Second Congo War. It subsequently took part in the transitional government and is now the main opposition party. It is often referred to by its original French name Mouvement de Libération du Congo and sometimes Mouvement de Libération Congolais.
During the war, the MLC was backed by the government of Uganda and controlled much of the north of the country, in particular the province of Équateur. It is led by former businessman Jean-Pierre Bemba, who became vice-president following the 2002 peace agreement. The town of Gbadolite is the headquarters of the MLC. The MLC was the primary instrument of Uganda during the war, as the Rally for Congolese Democracy was dominated by Rwanda. As part of the Inter-Congolese dialogue, Brig-Gen Malik Kijege of the MLC was named head of military logistics, while Maj-Gen Dieudonné Amuli Bahigwa was named head of the navy. Two of the DRC's ten military districts were also given to the MLC, and Bemba was allowed to appoint and dismiss the foreign minister of the DRC.
Bemba, as the MLC candidate, came second in the 2006 presidential election, and the party gained 64 out of 500 seats in the parliament - the second highest number for any political party. In the 19 January 2007 Senate elections, the party won 14 out of 108 seats.