Jonas Mukamba Kadiata Nzemba
Encyclopedia
Jonas Mukamba Kadiata Nzemba (born January 4, 1931) is a politician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and former CEO of the state-run diamond company.
appointed Nzemba the chief executive officer of the state's main diamond mining company, the Societé minière de Bakwanga
(MIBA)in 1986. Based in the city of Mbuji-Mayi, formerly Bakwanga, the company provided as much as 80 percent of the world's industrial diamonds, but other than mining operations which provided much-needed hard currency, the region was widely neglected by Mobutu and the central government. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Zaire and Mobutu paid little attention to Mbuji-Mayi, offering almost no money to build roads, schools or hospitals.
In the political vacuum, MIBA, stepped in. In the place of the federal government, MIBA invested heavily in the region - repairing roads, paying soldiers and supplying water and electricity to the city from its own power station. The company set up a social fund of $5 to $6 million a year, or roughly 8 percent of its annual budget. This money not only went for infrastructure repair, but also to fund a new university.
These investments and position as largest employer made Nzemba one of the most powerful men in the region, and defacto governor of Mbuji-Mayi. Nzemba was considered one of the more powerful players in Mobutu's political party, the Mouvement Populaire pour le Revolution (MPR), but also called himself a "brother" of Étienne Tshisekedi
, a popular local political figure and Mobutu's most significant political opposition.
During his time as head of MIBA, Nzemba is credited with creating the Conference pour le Developpement Economique de Kasai Oriental (CDEKO), a regional economic development group in the early 1990s. Nzemba also backed the creation of the University of Kasai, which was jointly sponsored by MIBA and the local Catholic church, and which became the home base of CDEKO. The new organization spearheaded economic growth in Mbuji-Mayi, helping support the development of new agricultural and beer industry expansion around the city, and launched Wetrafa, a locally-owned airline.
But, Mobutu's willingness to let Nzemba control the province through MIBA came at a price - Nzemba may have skimmed as much as $1.5 to $2 million a month to send to Mobutu's personal bank accounts.
As the First Congo War
broke out, Nzemba initially sided with Mobutu against the rebels led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila
, but as Kabila's Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL or ADFLC) approached the city, Nzemba quickly switched sides.
When the city fell to the rebels on April 4, 1997, Nzemba was summoned to Goma to speak with Kabila, who held him for several days, prompting his family to purchase advertising in newspapers publicizing their concerns for his safety. Nzemba was released shortly after, but MIBA began making "voluntary contributions" to Kabila's war effort - totally an estimated $5.5 million in 1997 and 1998.
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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...
and former CEO of the state-run diamond company.
MIBA
Zaire's president Mobutu Sese SekoMobutu 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...
appointed Nzemba the chief executive officer of the state's main diamond mining company, the Societé minière de Bakwanga
Societé minière de Bakwanga
Societé minière de Bakwanga is a mining company based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. MIBA is a diamond mining company, and its operations are centered near Mbuji Mayi, in Kasai-Oriental Province in south central DRC....
(MIBA)in 1986. Based in the city of Mbuji-Mayi, formerly Bakwanga, the company provided as much as 80 percent of the world's industrial diamonds, but other than mining operations which provided much-needed hard currency, the region was widely neglected by Mobutu and the central government. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Zaire and Mobutu paid little attention to Mbuji-Mayi, offering almost no money to build roads, schools or hospitals.
In the political vacuum, MIBA, stepped in. In the place of the federal government, MIBA invested heavily in the region - repairing roads, paying soldiers and supplying water and electricity to the city from its own power station. The company set up a social fund of $5 to $6 million a year, or roughly 8 percent of its annual budget. This money not only went for infrastructure repair, but also to fund a new university.
These investments and position as largest employer made Nzemba one of the most powerful men in the region, and defacto governor of Mbuji-Mayi. Nzemba was considered one of the more powerful players in Mobutu's political party, the Mouvement Populaire pour le Revolution (MPR), but also called himself a "brother" of 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...
, a popular local political figure and Mobutu's most significant political opposition.
During his time as head of MIBA, Nzemba is credited with creating the Conference pour le Developpement Economique de Kasai Oriental (CDEKO), a regional economic development group in the early 1990s. Nzemba also backed the creation of the University of Kasai, which was jointly sponsored by MIBA and the local Catholic church, and which became the home base of CDEKO. The new organization spearheaded economic growth in Mbuji-Mayi, helping support the development of new agricultural and beer industry expansion around the city, and launched Wetrafa, a locally-owned airline.
But, Mobutu's willingness to let Nzemba control the province through MIBA came at a price - Nzemba may have skimmed as much as $1.5 to $2 million a month to send to Mobutu's personal bank accounts.
As the First Congo War
First Congo War
The First Congo War was a revolution in Zaire that replaced President Mobutu Sésé Seko, a decades-long dictator, with rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Destabilization in eastern Zaire that resulted from the Rwandan genocide was the final factor that caused numerous internal and external actors...
broke out, Nzemba initially sided with Mobutu against the rebels led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
Laurent-Désiré Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by his bodyguards on January 18, 2001...
, but as Kabila's Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL or ADFLC) approached the city, Nzemba quickly switched sides.
When the city fell to the rebels on April 4, 1997, Nzemba was summoned to Goma to speak with Kabila, who held him for several days, prompting his family to purchase advertising in newspapers publicizing their concerns for his safety. Nzemba was released shortly after, but MIBA began making "voluntary contributions" to Kabila's war effort - totally an estimated $5.5 million in 1997 and 1998.
Post Civil War
He ran for president in the 2006 presidential electionDemocratic 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...
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