Joseph Kasa-Vubu

1915 – 1969 Congolese Independence leader, first President of Congo

First president of independent Congo and rival of Lumumba.

Religion: Roman Catholic
Affiliations: ABAKO

Joseph Kasa-Vubu led the ABAKO movement and became the first president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960. His dismissal of Prime Minister Lumumba, and Lumumba's counter-move against him, triggered the crisis that let Mobutu seize control. He was pushed out of power by Mobutu's 1965 coup and died a few years later.

In the timeline

1960 Congolese independence and Lumumba's speech mentioned
1960 Patrice Lumumba becomes Congo's first prime minister president who broke with Lumumba