Mobutu Sese Seko

Congolese politician and military officer, the first and only president of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 (1930 – 1997)

Source-basedFalling

Lived 1930–1997, aged 67

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80 languages
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Era
1930–1997
Aged 67

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Ruled Zaire for 32 years after a 1965 coup, turning the Congo into a personal fiefdom and becoming synonymous with kleptocratic excess. His regime collapsed in 1997 amid civil war and regional pressure.

Biography

About

Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa za Banga, often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer who was the first and only president of Zaire from 1971 to 1997. Previously, Mobutu served as the second president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 1965 to 1971.

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