Anniversary Of President Laurent Kabila’s Assassination
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a Central African country that is the second-largest country on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world by area. It is home to almost 90 million people and is a country that has seen its share of political, social, and economic strife.
Congo Democratic Republic (Public holiday)In this country, the Anniversary of President Laurent Kabila’s Assassination is observed every year on January 16th as a public holiday. President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated on this date in 2001, and the day has been marked with sorrow because of the feeling that many citizens have that he was trying to do good things for Congo but never got the chance to get them done.
The History of the Anniversary of President Laurent Kabila’s Assassination
Laurent-Désiré Kabila was born on November 27th, 1939, in Baudouinville in the Belgian Congo. He was a Congolese politician and revolutionary who became the third President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, beginning in 1997 and ending with his assassination in 2001.
He was an opponent of Mobutu Sese Seko and had led the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo. This was a Ugandan-sponsored rebel group that had invaded Zaire and overthrown Mobutu during the First Congo War from 1996 through 1997. Once he was the president of the country, he changed its name from Zaire back to its original name, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When he ordered all foreign troops to leave the country to prevent a coup, this began the Second Congo War, and his former Ugandan and Rwandan allies sponsored rebel groups to overthrow him. He would eventually be assassinated by one of his bodyguards, and his son Joseph would take over his position as President.
Observing the Anniversary of President Laurent Kabila’s Assassination
This holiday is observed as a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is a day off for the general population. It is also a day when schools, government offices, and many businesses are closed. On this day, people remember President Kabila and hold special memorial services in his honor.
Congo Democratic Republic (Public holiday)
