ZAIRE: PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA TAKES OFFICE AS HEAD OF STATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, FORMERLY ZAIRE

Record ID: 230414

  • Title: ZAIRE: PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA TAKES OFFICE AS HEAD OF STATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, FORMERLY ZAIRE
  • Date: 29th May 1997
  • Summary: KINSHASA, ZAIRE (MAY 29, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV SELF-STYLED LEADER OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, LAURENT KABILA GETTING OUT OF CAR / WAVING AT CROWDS 0.13 2. WIDE OF STADIUM / KABILA GREETING OFFICIALS/ GV CARS PASSING KABILA AND ENTOURAGE (4 SHOTS) 0.39 3. LV CROWDS IN STADIUM/ SV/LV KABILA STANDING (6 SHOTS) 1.05 4. LV/SV KABILA TAKING OATH (2 SHOTS) 1.22 5. LV CROWDS CHEERING 1.27 Initials s3, p3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 13th June 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KINSHASA, ZAIRE
  • City:
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Reuters ID: LVAAMKBPGI953MNLKMM8VSDKZRW4
  • Story Text: INTRO: President Laurent Kabila has taken office as head of state of the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire.

    He has promised to hold elections in April 1999 and to bury the legacy of ousted dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

    Less than two weeks after his forces marched into the capital of Mobutu's Zaire, Kabila swore an oath of office in front of the head of the supreme court and a crowd of tens of thousands in Kinshasa's main sports stadium.

    In an address to the nation, punctuated with side-swipes at Western governments who had supported Mobutu and were now questioning his own democratic credentials, he made clear he would bring democratic change to former Zaire -- on his own terms.

    "We are not in a hurry. This crumbling and shattered state must be organised so that the Congolese people can hold elections," he said, naming April 1999 as the date for presidential and parliamentary elections.

    "Be assured that the timetable will be respected," he said, adding that no foreign interference would change it.

    Kabila, who won the support of guest presidents from Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, Burundi and Zambia for his stand on democracy, accused unnamed foreign powers of defaming his administration to destabilise it and keep control of the mineral-rich country.

    As a first step towards elections, he said a constituent council would be set up to draft a new constitution that would be put to an elected constituent assembly and finally to the people in a referendum in December 1998.

    Many in the crowd at the stadium were catching their first glimpse of the man who now controls their destiny. Kabila kept out of the public eye after arriving in Kinshasa on May 20.

    The government declared Thursday (May 29) a public holiday in the city and state radio urged the population to turn out in force at the Chinese-built stadium. It holds upwards of 80,000 people and was at least half-full.

    Kabila's Alliance has banned political activity and public demonstrations, citing the need to preserve public order.

    On Wednesday (May 28), he decreed himself sweeping powers to run the country until the adoption of the promised transitional constitution. Earlier in the day, his soldiers broke up the third opposition protest in under a week.


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