Public Figure Profiles

Joseph Desire Mobuto

Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga was a Congolese politician and military officer who was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1971, and later Zaire from 1971 to 1997. He also served as Chairman of the Organisation of African Unity from 1967 to 1968. During the Congo Crisis, Mobutu, serving as Chief of Staff of the Army and supported by Belgium and the United States, deposed the democratically elected government of left-wing nationalist, Patrice Lumumba in 1960. Mobutu installed a government that arranged for Lumumba's execution in 1961, and continued to lead the country's armed forces until he took power directly in a second coup in 1965.

To consolidate his power, he established the Popular Movement of the Revolution as the sole legal political party in 1967, changed the Congo's name to Zaire in 1971, and his own name to Mobutu Sese Seko in 1972. Mobutu claimed that his political ideology was "neither left nor right, nor even centre", though nevertheless he developed a regime that was intensely autocratic even by African standards of his time. He attempted to purge the country of all colonial cultural influence through his program of "national authenticity". Mobutu was the object of a pervasive cult of personality. During his rule, he amassed a large personal fortune through economic exploitation and corruption, leading some to call his rule a "kleptocracy". He presided over a period of widespread human rights violations. Under his rule, the nation also suffered from uncontrolled inflation, a large debt, and massive currency devaluations.

Mobutu received strong support (military, diplomatic and economic) from the United States, France, and Belgium, who believed he was a strong opponent of communism in Francophone Africa. He also built close ties with the governments of apartheid South Africa, Israel and the Greek military junta. From 1972 onward, he was also supported by Mao Zedong of China, mainly due to his anti-Soviet stance but also as part of Mao's attempts to create a bloc of Afro-Asian nations led by him. The massive Chinese economic aid that flowed into Zaire gave Mobutu more flexibility in his dealings with Western governments, allowed him to identify as an "anti-capitalist revolutionary", and enabled him to avoid going to the International Monetary Fund for assistance.By 1990, economic deterioration and unrest led Mobutu to agree to share power with opposition leaders, but he used the army to thwart change until May 1997, when rebel forces led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila overran the country and forced him into exile. Already suffering from advanced prostate cancer, he died three months later in Morocco. Mobutu was notorious for corruption, nepotism, and the embezzlement of between US$4 billion and $15 billion during his rule. He was known for extravagances such as shopping trips to Paris via the supersonic and expensive Concorde.

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Some of their strengths

Joseph Desire Mobuto has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Confident, Intelligent, Practical, Intuitive, Creative, Loyal, and Generous.

Intelligent and Inquisitive

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Joseph Desire Mobuto is someone who is an intelligent, inquisitive, and imaginative person, who is practical, considerate, kind, and diplomatic in dealings with others. A person who is ambitious and motivated.

Warm and Caring

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Joseph Desire Mobuto well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.

Organized and Achievement-oriented

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Joseph Desire Mobuto as someone who is organized, goal-oriented, practical, and persevering.

Who is hardworking, intellectual, and easygoing, who loves higher education and learning and sharing ideas with others, and who loves healthy competition.

Assertive and Protective

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Joseph Desire Mobuto is someone who is a somewhat private person who has a strong personality and ability to read other people.

They are also someone who is mysterious, intuitive, and diplomatic, and who has a keen intuition, charisma, and a focus on balance and partnership.

Justice-seeking and Peaceful

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Joseph Desire Mobuto tends to be someone who loves peace and is ready to go to any costs to achieve it. Who has a taste for the good things in life, tends to be a good organizer, has a thirst for knowledge, and who tends to have the respect of friends and acquaintances.

Some of Joseph Desire Mobuto's challenges

While Joseph Desire Mobuto has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Joseph Desire Mobuto can be Stubborn, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Emotional, Standoffish, Suspicious, and Callous.

Hesitant and Narcissistic

One of Joseph Desire Mobuto's key challenges is that they are someone who can be hesitant and narcissistic.

Joseph Desire Mobuto must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can be short-tempered and aggressive, and can be excessive and unrealistic.

Callous and Selfish

Joseph Desire Mobuto is someone who can be standoffish, pessimistic, and ruthless, who can have difficulty concentrating and be impatient, can have difficulty discovering the keys to personal contentment, and who can have a tendency to overwork and hoard wealth and possessions.

Pleasure-seeking and Indecisive

Finally, Joseph Desire Mobuto also can put others first too much, and hem-and-haw too much when making a decision.