COLLECTING AFRICA HEADS OF STATE THE SEVEN HEADS OF PRESIDENT MOBUTU click on to see enlarged images 24th November 1971 15th March 1972 30th November 1974 24th June 1977 27th October 1977 17th November 1982 14th October 1985 Mobutu Sese Seko,born October 14th 1930,Lisala,Belguim Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo),died 7th September 1997,Rabat,Morocco.Seized power in a coup in 1965 ruled as a dictator until before being ousted by a rebellion in 1997.Endemic government corruption mismanagement,and the neglect of the infrastructure,led to the decline, whilst Mobutu himself amassed one of the largest personal fortunes in the world. As president Mobutu moved to Africanize names in the nation.The name of the country was changed in October1971 to the Republic of Zaire,the country reverted back to its original name Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.In January 1972,he changed his own name to Mobutu Sese Seko Koko Ngbendu Wa Za Banga (The all powerful warrior who,because of his endurance and inflexible will to win,will go from conquest to conquest,leaving fire in his wake). |