Afam

Mobutu Sese Seko was born in Lisala, Belgian Congo on October 14, 1930. His mother, Marie, was a hotel maid and his father, Albéric, was a cook for a Belgian judge. Albéric died when Mobutu was only eight years old. Mobutu’s mother took care of him and his three other siblings with the help of her relatives.
Mobutu was intelligent even as a boy. When he was young, the wife of his father’s employer taught him how to speak fluent French. When Mobutu was old enough his mother sent him away to a catholic boarding school named the Christian Brothers School. During his stay at the Christian Brothers School he excelled in his studies as well as in athletics and even ran the school newspaper. However, while in attendance at school, Mobutu encountered numerous problems with authority. He was frequently reprimanded for correcting his teachers, as well as playing pranks, and breaking rules. Upon being caught sneaking out to meet a girl, Mobutu was sent to the Belgium Congolese army to serve for seven years.
The army provided Mobutu discipline. He kept up with his studies with the help of old classmates. Shortly after he was released form the army he became a journalist for the Léopoldville daily. Mobutu’s journalism career brought him the friendship of Patrice Lumumba, the Prime Minister of Zaire at the time. Lumumba soon appointed Mobutu as chief of staff of the army. A conflict between Lumumba and Kasavubu, the country’s president put Mobutu in a difficult situation as each party requested Mobutu have the other arrested. He concluded the conflict by placing Lumumba on house arrest and taking control of the country on September 14, 1960.
Upon becoming President, Mobutu was disgusted at the present state of the country. He attributed the country’s current condition to bad politics. Mobutu stated, “it had taken the politicians five years to ruin the country; therefore, for five years, there will be no more political party activity in the country."
Soon after gaining...