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Zaire GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Government: Republic with strong presidential
authority
dominated since 1965 by Mobutu Sese Seko. Personalistic
regime
often described as "presidential monarchy," in which
Mobutu has run
government as personal fiefdom, using national treasury as
checkbook and disbursing rewards and punishments at will.
Corruption, nepotism, and cronyism pervasive.
Administrative
structure effectively fused with sole legal political
party,
Popular Revolutionary Movement (Mouvement Populaire de la
Révolution--MPR).
Regime ostensibly changed in April 1990 with
announcement of
move toward multiparty democracy. In mid-1991 national
conference,
ultimately known as Sovereign National Conference
(Conférence
Souveraine Nationale--CSN) convened to oversee drafting of
new
constitution and smooth political transition. Transitional
Act
adopted August 1992 to serve as provisional constitution,
provided
for parliamentary system with figurehead president, High
Council of
the Republic (Haut Conseil de la République--HCR)
provisional
legislature, and first state commissioner (prime minister)
head of
government. Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba elected head of
two-year
transitional government, recognized by Western powers,
unable to
govern because of Mobutu's continued control of key
military and
security forces, treasury, media, and administrative
facilities.
Mobutu also reconvened former legislature, National
Legislative
Council (Conseil National Législatif--CNL), attempted to
obtain
more favorable draft constitution, and, in March 1993,
appointed
rival government under Prime Minister Faustin Birindwa.
Since then,
government stalemate, with two parallel governments vying
for
political supremacy. Agreement reportedly reached in
October 1993
on new transitional constitution, transitional parliament,
and
electoral schedule, but no action taken by mid-1994.
Politics: From 1967 until 1990, MPR sole legal
political
party. Formal registration of political parties allowed
December
1990, and numerous parties sprang up. Principal opposition
party
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Union pour la
Démocratie
et le Progrès Social--UDPS) led by Tshisekedi. Also Union
of
Federalists and Independent Republicans (Union des
Fédéralistes et
des Républicains Indépendants--UFERI) led by Jean Nguza
Karl-i-
Bond, Democratic and Social Christian Party (Parti
Démocrate et
Social Chrétien--PDSC) led by Joseph Ileo Nsongo Amba,
Congolese
National Movement-Lumumba (Mouvement National
Congolais-Lumumba--
MNC-Lumumba) led by Christophe Gbenye, and Lumumbist
Unified Party
under Antoine Gizenga. Major opposition parties united in
Sacred
Union (Union Sacrée) during 1991-92 CSN. In November 1991,
Nguza
and UFERI formed Alliance of Patriotic Forces as rival
opposition
force within CSN. Other schisms occurred in opposition. In
September 1993, Tshisekedi formed another coalition called
Democratic Forces of the Congo-Kinshasa. Pro-Mobutu
forces, led by
MPR, worked together in coalition known as United
Democratic Forces
(Forces Démocratiques Unies--FDU). MPR retained the same
abbreviation and same political orientation, reportedly
changed
name to Popular Movement for the Revival (Mouvement
Populaire pour
le Renouveau).
Administrative Divisions: Administratively,
country
divided into ten regions plus capital of Kinshasa. Highly
centralized system with little autonomy at regional or
local level.
Foreign Relations: Foreign policy orientation
officially
nonaligned but generally pro-Western under Mobutu. Mobutu
regime
traditionally perceived as enjoying, and depending on,
support of
Belgium, France, and United States. Because of Zaire's
size,
mineral wealth, and strategic location, as well as
Mobutu's
willingness to support Western foreign policy goals (e.g.,
in
Angola and Chad), Mobutu able to capitalize on Cold War
tensions to
garner support and substantial economic and military
assistance.
Until early 1990s, Western powers mostly disregarded
growing
evidence of human rights abuses and corruption of Mobutu
regime.
But following end of Cold War and chaotic events in Zaire
in early
1990s, Belgium, France, and United States terminated all
but
humanitarian aid to Zaire, have increasingly pressured
Mobutu to
improve human rights record and institute multiparty
democracy. All
three nations have voiced support for transitional
government under
Tshisekedi, have refused to recognize rival,
Mobutu-appointed
Birindwa government, but have stopped short of adopting
stronger
measures against Mobutu, such as confiscating his assets
abroad or
imposing economic sanctions.
Regional relations significant because Zaire borders on
nine
other states. But relations with neighbors often tense
because of
refugees, smuggling, mutual harboring of antigovernment
rebels, and
border violations by security forces.
International Agreements and Memberships:
Member
of many
international and regional organizations, including United
Nations
(UN) and its specialized agencies, World Bank,
International
Monetary Fund, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade,
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol),
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Intelsat),
Nonaligned Movement, Organization of African Unity (OAU),
African
Development Bank, Economic Community of Central African
States
(Communauté Économique des États de l'Afrique
Centrale--CEEAC), and
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
(Communauté
Économique des Pays des Grands Lacs--CEPGL).
Data as of December 1993
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