Mobutu's Totalitarian Political System

139 Pages·2006·0.81 MB·English

by  Peta Ikambana

African Studies
History, Politics, Economics, and Culture
Edited by
Molefi Asante
Temple University
A Routledge Series
African Studies
History, Politics, Economics, and Culture
Molefi Asante, General Editor
The Hidden Debate The NGO Factor in Africa
The Truth Revealed about the Battle The Case of Arrested Development
over Affirmative Action in South Africa in Kenya
and the United States Maurice Nyamanga Amutabi
Akil Kokayi Khalfani
Social Movements and Democracy
Britain, Leftist Nationalists and in Africa
the Transfer of Power in Nigeria, The Impact of Women’s Struggle for
1945–1965 Equal Rights in Botswana
Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani Agnes Ngoma Leslie
Western-Educated Elites in Kenya, Nefer
1900–1963 The Aesthetic Ideal in Classical Egypt
The African American Factor Willie Cannon-Brown
Jim C. Harper, II
The Experience of Economic
Africa and IMF Conditionality Redistribution
The Unevenness of Compliance, The Growth, Employment and
1983–2000 Redistribution Strategy in South Africa
Kwame Akonor Clarence Tshitereke
African Cultural Values The Role of the Press and
Igbo Political Leadership in Colonial Communication Technology in
Nigeria, 1900–1966 Democratization
Raphael Chijioke Njoku The Nigerian Story
Aje-Ori Agbese
A Roadmap for Understanding
African Politics The Politics of Ethnic Nationalism
Leadership and Political Integration in Afrikaner Unity, the National Party,
Nigeria and the Radical Right in Stellenbosch,
Victor Oguejiofor Okafor 1934–1948
Joanne L. Duffy
Doing Justice Without the State
The Afikpo (Ehugbo) Nigeria Model Mobutu’s Totalitarian Political
O. Oko Elechi System
An Afrocentric Analysis
Student Power in Africa’s Higher
Peta Ikambana
Education
A Case of Makerere University
Frederick Kamuhanda Byaruhanga
Mobutu’s Totalitarian
Political System
An Afrocentric Analysis
Peta Ikambana
Routledge
New York & London
Routledge Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue 2 Park Square
New York, NY 10016 Milton Park, Abingdon
Oxon OX14 4RN
© 2007 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2007.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
International Standard Book Number‑10: 0‑415‑98028‑3 (Hardcover)
International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑0‑415‑98028‑9 (Hardcover)
No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming,
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the
publishers.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Ikambana, Peta.
Mobutu’s totalitarian political system : an Afrocentric analysis / Peta Ikambana.
p. cm. ‑‑ (African studies history, politics, economics, and culture)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN‑13: 978‑0‑415‑98028‑9 (alk. paper)
1. Congo (Democratic Republic)‑‑Politics and government‑‑1960‑1997.
2. Totalitarianism. 3. Political corruption‑‑Congo (Democratic Republic) 4.
Democratization‑‑Congo (Democratic Republic) 5. Mobutu Sese Seko, 1930‑1997. 6.
Dictators‑‑Congo (Democratic Republic)‑‑Biography. I. Title.
DT658.25.I53 2007
967.5103’3‑‑dc22 2006023273
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the Routledge Web site at
http://www.routledge‑ny.com
ISBN 0-203-94241-8 Master e-book ISBN
To my parents, Celestin-Adrien and Germaine
To my brothers and sisters,
especially to my brother Peta “Jeampy” Ikomba
To my sons and friends, Jean-Louis and Jean-Jose
To all my friends from all over the world, especially Mutombo
Nkulu and Ruth, Charles Currie, Pilar Garcia, Chantal Wetshi,
Manuel Salamanca, Irene Papanicolau, Yehudith Ayala, Camilo
Torres, Maria Lozada, Yoselin Ocasio, Gisela Kembi, Vicky Lufwa,
Nicole Mbassa, Ngona Lobo, the entire Congreso “family”, Hanna
Elliot, Andres Cartaya, Angelica Oberleithner, Jennifer Riggan,
Tamara Kirby, Mado Mulaji, Nick Torres, Tatiana Loma.
To my educational mentors, Rodrigo, David, and Molefi
To all those who fight for a better Congo,
a better Africa, and a better humanity

Special thanks to Rob Lightman and Routledge!

Contents
List of Tables & Figures ix
Preface xi
Chapter One
Introduction 1
Chapter Two
Concepts of Political Governance in Traditional Africa 13
Chapter Three
The Momentum of Democracy in Zaire:
Sovereign National Conference 29
Chapter Four
State Crime in Mobutu’s Political System 53
Chapter Five
The African-centered Rationale for the Necessity
of Zaire Democracy 63
Chapter Six
Concluding Remarks 81
Appendix A
Chronology of Major Events: 6th Century to Mobutu’s
Second Coup d’etat, November 24, 1965 95
vii
viii Contents
Appendix B
Election Criteria of the Political Elite in Traditional Senegal 101
Appendix C
Theoretical Approaches to State Crimes 107
Notes 111
Bibliography 119
Index 123
List of Tables & Figures
TABLES
Table 3.1. Exportations of Some National Agricultural
Products (in Tons) 33
Table 3.2. Exportations of Some National Mineral Products 33
FIGURES
Figure 1. Representation of the Theory of the Loss of Legitimacy 7
ix