Gbadolite
Encyclopedia
Gbadolite or Gbado-Lite is the capital of the Nord-Ubangi District
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. The town is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of the Ubangi River
at the border to the Central African Republic
and 1150 kilometres (714.6 mi) northeast of the national capital Kinshasa
. Gbadolite was the ancestral home and the residence of Mobutu Sese Seko
, who was President of Zaire
(the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1965 to 1997.
of the Jungle". He built a hydroelectric dam on the nearby Ubangi River
in Mobayi Mbongo, an international airport, Moanda Airport
, which could accommodate the Concorde
, and three large palace
s. As a result, the people of the town had no trouble finding jobs, often as servants. During Mobutu's regime, Gbadolite had also companies such as CDIA for farming productions, SOZAGEC for road constructions, and SAFRICAS for house constructions. The town had a General Hospital with high tech facilities which were destroyed in 1997. Gbadolite had also College Presidentiel, a high school
famous for its academic excellence and administered by Jesuit Fathers to whom Mobutu gave the school. This School had a chemistry lab, physics lab, computer lab, olympic game facilities, band instruments of all kinds. The town was also famous for its Chapelle Marie la Misericorde, a luxurious church in which Mobutu buried his first wife Mama Mobutu.
Two palaces were built outside Gbadolite at Kawele. One an elaborate complex of Chinese pagoda
s and the other a modern mansion, these were used as residences for Mobutu and guests. The three storey palace in Gbadolite was used primarily for public functions.
Mobutu also build a nuclear bunker, that could house more than 500 people and was the largest in Africa and the only nuclear bunker in Central Africa. The bunker was connected to the Ubangui River by a secret tunnel, giving access to the military harbor at the village of N'dangi
.
When Laurent Kabila successfully led a rebellion and ousted Mobutu from power in 1997, Gbadolite was raided, and most of what was in the palaces was looted. The palaces are now being overrun by vegetation.
In 1998 the Uganda
n backed MLC
(Mouvement de Libération du Congo) rebel group, led by Jean-Pierre Bemba
, captured Gbadolite from Kabila's government and it became the MLC
's headquarters.
Nord-Ubangi District
Nord-Ubangi District is a district located in the Équateur province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. The town is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of the Ubangi River
Ubangi River
The Ubangi River , also spelled Oubangui, is the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River of Central Africa. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers and flows west, then bends to the southwest and passes through Bangui, after which it flows south to the Congo at Liranga....
at the border to the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
and 1150 kilometres (714.6 mi) northeast of the national capital Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
. Gbadolite was the ancestral home and the residence of Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
, who was President of Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
(the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1965 to 1997.
History
Mobutu built Gbadolite into a luxurious town often nicknamed "VersaillesVersailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
of the Jungle". He built a hydroelectric dam on the nearby Ubangi River
Ubangi River
The Ubangi River , also spelled Oubangui, is the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River of Central Africa. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers and flows west, then bends to the southwest and passes through Bangui, after which it flows south to the Congo at Liranga....
in Mobayi Mbongo, an international airport, Moanda Airport
Gbadolite Airport
Gbadolite Airport is an airport serving Gbadolite, the capital of the Nord-Ubangi District in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The airport is located at the village of Moanda, southwest of Gbadolite.-Facilities:...
, which could accommodate the Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
, and three large palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
s. As a result, the people of the town had no trouble finding jobs, often as servants. During Mobutu's regime, Gbadolite had also companies such as CDIA for farming productions, SOZAGEC for road constructions, and SAFRICAS for house constructions. The town had a General Hospital with high tech facilities which were destroyed in 1997. Gbadolite had also College Presidentiel, a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
famous for its academic excellence and administered by Jesuit Fathers to whom Mobutu gave the school. This School had a chemistry lab, physics lab, computer lab, olympic game facilities, band instruments of all kinds. The town was also famous for its Chapelle Marie la Misericorde, a luxurious church in which Mobutu buried his first wife Mama Mobutu.
Two palaces were built outside Gbadolite at Kawele. One an elaborate complex of Chinese pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
s and the other a modern mansion, these were used as residences for Mobutu and guests. The three storey palace in Gbadolite was used primarily for public functions.
Mobutu also build a nuclear bunker, that could house more than 500 people and was the largest in Africa and the only nuclear bunker in Central Africa. The bunker was connected to the Ubangui River by a secret tunnel, giving access to the military harbor at the village of N'dangi
N'dangi
N'dangi is a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The village is located 12 km north of the city of Gbadolite at the Ubangi River at the border to the Central African Republic. N'dangi is known for the former military harbor, the only military harbor between Kinshasa and Kisangani...
.
When Laurent Kabila successfully led a rebellion and ousted Mobutu from power in 1997, Gbadolite was raided, and most of what was in the palaces was looted. The palaces are now being overrun by vegetation.
In 1998 the Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n backed MLC
MLC
-Technology:*Multi-level cell, a type of flash memory*Multi-Platform Language for Calculators*Multileaf collimator, a tool used for shaping radiation beams in external-beam radiotherapy.*Mobile Location Center, a network element in GSM Telephony Networks...
(Mouvement de Libération du Congo) rebel group, led by Jean-Pierre Bemba
Jean-Pierre Bemba
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was one of four vice-presidents in the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 17 July 2003 to December 2006. Bemba also leads the Movement for the Liberation of Congo , a rebel group...
, captured Gbadolite from Kabila's government and it became the MLC
MLC
-Technology:*Multi-level cell, a type of flash memory*Multi-Platform Language for Calculators*Multileaf collimator, a tool used for shaping radiation beams in external-beam radiotherapy.*Mobile Location Center, a network element in GSM Telephony Networks...
's headquarters.