Dying state in Zaire First Congo War

an ethnic ngbandi, mobutu came power in 1965 , enjoyed support united states government because of anti-communist stance while in office. however, mobutu s authoritarian rule , policies allowed zairian state decay, evidenced 65% decrease in zairian gdp between independence in 1960 , end of mobutu s rule in 1997. following end of cold war circa 1991, united states stopped supporting mobutu in favour of called new generation of african leaders , including rwanda s kagame , uganda s museveni.

a wave of democratisation swept across africa during 1990s. under substantial internal , external pressure democratic transition in zaire, mobutu promised reform. officially ended one-party system had maintained since 1967, proved unwilling implement broad reform, alienating allies both @ home , abroad. in fact, zairian state had ceased exist. majority of zairian population relied on informal economy subsistence, since official economy not reliable. furthermore, zairian national army, forces armées zaïroises (faz), forced prey upon population survival; mobutu himself allegedly once asked faz soldiers why needed pay when had weapons.

mobutu s rule had encountered considerable internal resistance, , given weak central state, rebel groups find refuge in zaire s eastern provinces, far capital, kinshasa. opposition included leftists had supported patrice lumumba (1925–1961), ethnic , regional minorities opposed dominance of kinshasa. laurent-désiré kabila, ethnic luba katanga province overthrow mobutu, had fought mobutu s régime since inception.

the inability of mobutuist régime control rebel movements in eastern provinces allowed internal , external foes ally.