Zaire, and the many faces of Mobutu

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Flag of the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), 1960–1963.

The Republic of the Congo was a sovereign state in Central Africa. It was created upon the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960. From 1960 to 1966 the country was also known as Congo-Léopoldville, after its capital. This distinguished it from its north-western neighbor, also called the Republic of the Congo, but which is alternatively known as "Congo-Brazzaville".

The blue color on the republic's flag represented peace and hope, while the yellow color represented the wealth and prosperity of the nation. The five-pointed star symbolized unity and a brilliant future for the country. The six stars in the hoist represented the country's six provinces.

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Map of Congo-Léopoldville and its original six provinces.

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President Kasa-Vubu.

The Belgian Congo gained independence as the Republic of the Congo in 1960. Almost immediately the country was threatened with chaos, as the two richest provinces of the country, Katanga and Kasai, proclaimed their secession from the Congo.

Prime minister Patrice Lumumba turned to the USSR for help, while President Joseph Kasa-Vubu appealed to the US. Both men eventually claimed to have deposed the other. However, in December 1960 Joseph Mobutu, the Chief of Staff of the Army, seized power in a CIA and Belgian-supported military coup. Kasa-Vubu reasserted control of the government, while Mobutu's associates assassinated Lumumba.

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Katanga, 5 francs, 1961. 

In September, the UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld flew to Katanga to negotiate with Moise Tshombe, the leader of the Katangan secessionists. During a flight within the province, Dag Hammarskjöld's plane crashed and he was killed. By December 1961, however, UN and Congolese troops had reconquered secessionist Kasai, and by January 1963 the central government had also reasserted control over Katanga.

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Flag of the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) from 1963.

From 1964 the republic was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This same flag was retained through to 1966. The blue color on the republic's flag represented peace and hope, while the yellow color represented the wealth and prosperity of the nation.  Red represented the blood of the country's martyrs. The five-pointed star symbolized unity and a brilliant future for the country.

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The coat of arms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1963–1971).

The country's coat of arms from 1963 featured the leopard head.

Also featured were crossed spears, a laurel leaf and an elephant tusk.

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Che Guevara.

In early 1964 a rebellion broke out in the Kivu and Eastern (Orientale) provinces, led by the Simba (Swahili for "lion"). By August the Simba had captured Stanleyville and set up a rebel government there. As the rebel movement spread, discipline became more difficult to maintain, and acts of violence and terror increased. Thousands of Congolese were executed, including government officials, political leaders of opposition parties, provincial and local police, school teachers, and others who were believed to have been Westernized.

In July 1964, Tshombe, the former Katangan secessionist, was made prime minister. With the use of Congolese troops and white mercenaries, he began to defeat the rebels, who started capturing members of the white population and holding them hostage. Tshombe asked the US and Belgians for help. Their troops intervened in November 1964 and successfully put down the rebellion, along with help from Tshombe's white mercenaries. Tshombe's prestige was damaged by the joint Belgian-US operation which saw white mercenaries and western forces intervene once again in the Congo. In particular, Tshombe lost the support of both Kasa-Vubu and Mobutu.

Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara addressed the UN General Assembly on December 11, 1964, publicly denouncing the US-Belgian operation as an "unacceptable intervention". In April 1965, Guevara himself, along with a small unit of Cuban fighters, arrived in Dar es Salaam. They made their way across Lake Tanganyika to the Congo, where they led rebellions against the Kasavubu-Tshombe central government for six months, until their retreat on November 20.

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10 francs coin of 1965.  This was a one-year issue only.

Meanwhile, in 1965 the first coins of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were issued.

These were the only coins of the republic that were denominated in francs.


The aluminium 10 francs coin was the only circulation coin issued in 1965.

It weighed 3.4 grams and had a diameter of 30 mm.

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Gold 100 francs coin of 1965.

In 1965 a set of gold non-circulating coins was also issued.

The coins commemorated the fifth anniversary of independence.

The common obverse featured President Kasa-Vubu.


The reverse of the 10 and 20 francs featured two crossed palm trees.

The reverse of the 25, 50 and 100 francs featured an elephant.

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Mobutu the military man.

On 25 November 1965 Joseph Mobutu seized power from President Kasa-Vubu.

He did this with the help of the CIA.


Supported by the Western countries, Mobutu established a one-party state.

He banned all other political organisations except his own.

Prime minister Tshombe was charged with treason and fled to Spain.

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Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1966 to 1971.

The flag was replaced with a slightly amended one in 1966.

Perhaps this symbolized the beginning of the new regime.


Mobutu also changed the name of the capital city.

Previously Leopoldville, in 1966 it became Kinshasa.

Informally, the country was now also known as Congo-Kinshasa.

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President Mobutu.

In 1966 and 1967, Mobutu had to put down two mutinies.

The mutiny leaders fled to neighbouring Rwanda.

After that, the country entered a long period of relative stability under his repressive rule.

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INTRODUCTION OF THE LIKUTA IN 1967.

In 1967 the franc was replaced by the likuta (singular: likuta; plural: makuta).

One likuta was divided into 100 sengi.

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Democratic Republic of Congo, 10 sengi, 1967.

The 10 sengi coin of 1967 was made of aluminium.

It weighed 0.7 grams and had a diameter of 17 mm.

The reverse featured a leopard, ready to pounce.

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Democratic Republic of Congo, 1 likuta, 1967.

The 1 likuta coin of 1967 was also made of aluminium.

It weighed 1.25 grams and had a diameter of 21 mm.

The reverse featured the national coat of arms.