On June 30, 1960 , the Democratic Republic of the Congo was formally proclaimed independent from Belgium .  What kind of independence has it had?   Like many African nations, the period since independence has been very similar to the time before independence.  After the assassination of the elected Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba , president Mobutu Sese Seko ruled the Congo like his personal property making the Congo a favorable ground for neo-colonialism . As a result, today's Congolese patriots continue to face one big challenge:  to free the country from neo-colonialism.  As the independence freedom movement believed that independence was past due and demanded it, the war against neo-colonialism has to be fought with renewed energy.  

Congolese Independence in the African Context

The Congo and African nations in general have to demand freedom from western powers.   This includes the West's African surrogates who have accepted to work for them instead of working for the African people.  Africans need to claim their pride, prosperity, peace, and independence from Africa's "strong men" who were once part of the freedom movement but who are now the continent's oppressors.  African neo-colonial freedom fighters should be aware of the errors of people such as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Iddris Deby of Chad, and many more who have failed their nations, killing the democratic process by manipulating the constitution to stay in power.  With its political instability, the Congo is at risk of experiencing failure in its presidential electoral process.  The Congolese people have to stay vigilant to ensure President Joseph Kabila abides by the needs of the Congolese people instead of the post-colonial African leadership example of staying in power by all means for as long as one lives.

by Bahati Ntama, Posted June 30, 2008