Joseph Kabila became Congo's president when his father
Laurent was assassinated in 2001. He gained a mandate through the ballot
box to rule the vast country as its elected leader in an election in
2006. The historic presidential election was intended to bring a new
era of stability after years of war, dictatorship and chaos. The vote
was generally praised by international monitors.
Mr Kabila has enjoyed
the clear support of western governments such as the US and France,
regional allies such as South Africa and Angola
and businessmen and mining magnates who have signed multi-million
dollar deals under his rule.
He is a former guerrilla fighter who participated
in nearly a decade of war that ravaged the country. He fought alongside
his father in a military campaign from the east that toppled dictator
Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997 after more than 20 years
as the despotic, whimsical and corrupt leader of the nation he had
renamed Zaire. But when Laurent Kabila was killed by a bodyguard in
2001, his soft-spoken, publicity-shy son, who received military training
in China, was thrust
into the political limelight and installed as the world's youngest
head of state. He swapped his military fatigues for elegant business
suits, but - in contrast to his chubby, jovial and temperamental father
- remained
a reserved figure.
Mr Kabila has promised to rule by consensus to try
to heal the still raw scars of Congo's many conflicts. Though revered
in the Swahili-speaking east, where he is widely credited with helping
to end Congo's 1998-2003 war, he is less liked in the
west.
Joseph Kabila is the eldest of 10 children fathered by
Laurent Kabila. He spent much of his early life in East Africa, where
his dissident
father lived in exile.
Defence Minister: Chikez DIEMU
Foreign Minister: Antipas MBUSA Nyamwisi
Interior Minister: Denis KALUME Numbi
Economy and Finance Minister: Athanase MATENDA Kyelu
Min. of Transport: Remy Henri KUSEYO Gatanga
Min. of Commerce: Pierre ILUNGA MBUNDU wa Biluba
Before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power on 16 May 1997,
the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election
last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the High
Council of the Republic;
note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution
election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko
Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition
note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga
was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May
1997 when his
government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA; KABILA
immediately assumed governing authority and pledged to hold elections
by April 1999, but, in December 1998, announced that elections would
be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple
the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated
in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA.
- Alliance for Congo's Renewal (Alliance pour le Renouveau
du Congo/ARC)
- Christian Democracy (Démocratie Chrétienne/DC)
- Christian Democrats Party (Parti des Démocrates Chrétiens/PDC)
- Christian Republican Party (Parti Chrétien Républicain/PCR)
- Congolese National Movement–Lumumba (Mouvement National Congolais–Lumumba/MNC–L)
- Congolese Rally for Democracy–Goma (Rassemblement Congolais
pour la Démocratie/RCD–G)
-Congolese Rally for Democracy–Kisangani-Liberation Movement
(Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie–Kisangani–Mouvement
de Libération/RCD–K–ML)
- Democratic Social Christian Party (Parti Démocrate Social
Chrétien/PDSC)
- Federalist Christian Democracy – Convention of Federalists
for Christian Democracy (Démocratie Chrétienne Fédéraliste – Convention
des Fédéralistes pour la Démocratie Chrétienne/DCF–COFEDEC)
- Liberal Christian Democrats Union (Union des Libéraux Démocrates
Chrétiens/ULDC)
- Movement for the Liberation of Congo (Mouvement pour la Liberation
du Congo/MLC)
- National Alliance Party for Unity (Parti de l'Alliance Nationale
pour l'Unité/PANU)
- People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (Parti du Peuple
pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie/PPRD)
- Popular Movement of the Revolution/Nzuzi Faction (Mouvement Populaire
de la Revolution/Fait Privé/MPR-FP)
- Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Union pour la Démocratie
et le Progrès Social/UDPS)
- Union for the Republic National Movement/UNIR NM (Union pour la République
- Mouvement national/UNIR MN)
- Unified Lumumbist Party (Parti Lumumbiste Unifié/PALU)
- Union for Congo's Reconstruction (Union pour la Reconstruction du
Congo/UREC)