Kengo Wa Dondo
Encyclopedia
Léon Kengo Wa Dondo served as the "first state commissioner" (a title equivalent to prime minister
) several times under Mobutu Sese Seko
in Zaïre
. He was one of the most powerful figures in the regime and was a strong advocate of economic globalization
and free-market economics. Since 2007, he has been President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
.
Kengo was born in Libenge, Equateur province, Belgian Congo (later Zaire and now Democratic Republic of Congo). He was the son of a Polish
Jewish
father and a Rwandan Tutsi
mother. His original name was Leon Lubicz. He changed his name to Kengo Wa Dondo in 1971 during Mobutu's Africanization
campaign.
Kengo served as Prime Minister for the first time from 1982 to 1986, appointing able technocrats to important positions, such as Munga Mibindo
, President Delegate General of the National Electrical Utility (SNEL). He then served as foreign minister
from 1986 to 1987 and as Prime Minister again from 1988 to 1990. During the early 1990s Mobutu allowed a transitional parliament to be set up, and Kengo was chosen Prime Minister by it in 1994 as a candidate in an attempt to neutralise the challenge from the country's then most popular politician, Étienne Tshisekedi
. He expelled members of the Lebanese
community from Zaire for alleged involvement in the illegal trade of conflict diamond
s, though the credibility of such actions is perhaps challenged by the fact that trade in conflict diamonds from Angola had long been essential to the survival of the Mobutu regime, in which Kengo had been such an important figure.
Shortly after the beginning of the Congo civil war, in December 1996, Kengo became the leader of a crisis cabinet which sought to defeat the rebellion of Laurent Kabila. He was undermined by many Mobutu supporters because of his Tutsi origins, as Kabila's rebels were allied with the Tutsi governments of Rwanda
and Burundi
. As Kabila's armies advanced through the country, Kengo was also criticized for not conducting the war very well. He announced his resignation in March 1997 and left office in April 1997. The Mobutu government fell a month later, and Kengo retired from politics. In 2003, he was charged with money laundering in Belgium
.
Following his return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kengo backed Jean-Pierre Bemba
in the 2006 presidential election
; Bemba was defeated by President Joseph Kabila
in the second round of the election. Kengo was then elected as a Senator
from Équateur province
in January 2007. On May 11, 2007, Kengo was somewhat unexpectedly elected as President of the Senate, defeating Léonard She Okitundu, the candidate of the majority coalition, the Alliance of the Presidential Majority
. Kengo, who was an independent candidate, took 55 votes against 49 for Okitundu.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
) several times under 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...
in Zaïre
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...
. He was one of the most powerful figures in the regime and was a strong advocate of economic globalization
Economic globalization
Economic globalization refers to increasing economic interdependence of national economies across the world through a rapid increase in cross-border movement of goods, service, technology and capital...
and free-market economics. Since 2007, he has been President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.During the transition period in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Senate, aside from its Legislative role, also had the task of drafting the country's new constitution...
.
Kengo was born in Libenge, Equateur province, Belgian Congo (later Zaire and now Democratic Republic of Congo). He was the son of a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
father and a Rwandan Tutsi
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
mother. His original name was Leon Lubicz. He changed his name to Kengo Wa Dondo in 1971 during Mobutu's Africanization
Africanization
Africanization or Africanisation has been applied in various contexts, notably in naming and in the composition of staff.-Africanization of names:...
campaign.
Kengo served as Prime Minister for the first time from 1982 to 1986, appointing able technocrats to important positions, such as Munga Mibindo
Munga Mibindo
Munga "Max" Mibindo served as the President Delegate General of SNEL, La Société Nationale d'Electricité, in the Republic of Zaire in the early and mid 1980s...
, President Delegate General of the National Electrical Utility (SNEL). He then served as foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
from 1986 to 1987 and as Prime Minister again from 1988 to 1990. During the early 1990s Mobutu allowed a transitional parliament to be set up, and Kengo was chosen Prime Minister by it in 1994 as a candidate in an attempt to neutralise the challenge from the country's then most popular politician, Étienne Tshisekedi
Étienne Tshisekedi
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba is a lawyer, politician, and leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress which is a political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was Prime Minister of the country on three brief occasions: in 1991, 1992–1993, and 1997...
. He expelled members of the Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
community from Zaire for alleged involvement in the illegal trade of conflict diamond
Conflict diamond
In relation to diamond trading, conflict diamond refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity, usually in Africa where around two-thirds of the world's diamonds are extracted.-Angola:Angola, a colony...
s, though the credibility of such actions is perhaps challenged by the fact that trade in conflict diamonds from Angola had long been essential to the survival of the Mobutu regime, in which Kengo had been such an important figure.
Shortly after the beginning of the Congo civil war, in December 1996, Kengo became the leader of a crisis cabinet which sought to defeat the rebellion of Laurent Kabila. He was undermined by many Mobutu supporters because of his Tutsi origins, as Kabila's rebels were allied with the Tutsi governments of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. As Kabila's armies advanced through the country, Kengo was also criticized for not conducting the war very well. He announced his resignation in March 1997 and left office in April 1997. The Mobutu government fell a month later, and Kengo retired from politics. In 2003, he was charged with money laundering in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Following his return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kengo backed 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...
in the 2006 presidential election
Democratic Republic of the Congo general election, 2006
General elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 30, 2006, the first multiparty elections in the country in 41 years. Voters went to the polls to elect both a new President of the Republic and a new National Assembly, the lower-house of the Parliament.The polls were...
; Bemba was defeated by President Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila...
in the second round of the election. Kengo was then elected as a Senator
Democratic Republic of the Congo Senate election, 2007
Elections to the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were held on 2007-01-19, though they had originally been scheduled for 2007-01-16...
from Équateur province
Équateur
Équateur is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is in the north of the country, and bordered the Republic of the Congo to the west, the Central African Republic to the north, to the east the Orientale province, and to the south the Kasai-Oriental, Kasai-Occidental, and...
in January 2007. On May 11, 2007, Kengo was somewhat unexpectedly elected as President of the Senate, defeating Léonard She Okitundu, the candidate of the majority coalition, the Alliance of the Presidential Majority
Alliance of the Presidential Majority
The Alliance of the Presidential Majority is a political alliance formed by supporters of President-elect Joseph Kabila following the 2006 general elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This bloc currently holds the majority of seats in the National Assembly with 332 out of 500...
. Kengo, who was an independent candidate, took 55 votes against 49 for Okitundu.