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Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Zaire) gained independence from Belgium in 1960.
Patrice Lumumba became the first Prime Minister and was overthrown by another thug Joseph Mobutu within months.
Mobutu Africanised all place names in 1966 and changed the country's name to Zaire in 1971. His regime was toppled by yet another thug, Laurent Kabila in May 1997.
Kabila restored the old joke name of Democratic Republic of Congo -democratic in name only. His regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda/Uganda backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan, and all others that wanted a slice of the mineral wealth pie, intervened to support the Kabila regime.
A ceasefire was signed on 10 July 1999, but sporadic fighting continued. Dictator Kabila was assassinated on 16 January 2001 -and ten days later his son Joseph became the new one, more media savvy than the old man, but with increased powers by kotowing to the multinationals who still pull the strings.
Today (2005), Young Kabila has increased the worst excesses of his father. He remains both thug and dictator. 6000 UN troops remain, supporting his regime and the US and the multinationals wishes.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Zaire) gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Patrice Lumumba became the first Prime Minister and was overthrown by Joseph Mobutu within months. He Africanised all place names in 1966 and changed the country's name to Zaire in 1971.

His government was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent Kabila in May 1997. Kabila restored the old name of the Democratic Republic of Congo. His regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda and Uganda backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the Congo(Zaire), Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. Kabila was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph Kabila was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, an agreement was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set up a government of national unity. Strongman Kabila remains both the chief of state and head of government.