Laurent Kabila's rise to political leadership was marked by the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960. During the Congo Crisis, Kabila was the deputy commander of Patrice Lumumba's youth wing that fought the secessionist forces of Moise Tshombe. By 1962, he had been appointed to the provincial assembly for North Katanga and three years later was involved in organising a cross-border rebel operation across Lake Tanganyika. The operation failed, and Kabila, along with his followers, moved the operation to the mountainous region of South Kivu, where they also founded the People's Revolution Party (PRP). A secessionist state was created along Marxist principles, but was characterised by extortion and mineral smuggling. After its collapse in 1988, Kabila was believed to have been dead. His reappearance in 1996 signaled the start of the First Congo War.

After two years of conflict, Kabila established himself as president of the Congo. His leadership style proved to be much the same as that of his predecessors and his regime was rife with corruption and human rights abuses. On 18 January 2001, as part of an attempted coup, Kabila was fatally shot by a member of staff. His son, Joseph Kabila, became the president ten days later and is to date the leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Related:

SAHO Special Feature: Congo

References:

1. Burger, D. (ed). (2002). South Africa Yearbook 2001/02. Pretoria: GCIS, p. 273.
2. DRC: Introduction - The death of Laurent Desire Kabila [online] Available at: irinnews.org [Accessed 11 January 2010]
3. Kabila's death confirmed from BBC News [online] Available at: news.bbc.co.uk [Accessed 11 January 2010]
4. Profile: Laurent Kabila from BBC News [online] Available at: news.bbc.co.uk [Accessed 11 January 2010]