Mobutu Flees Zaire
Leaves the country as rebel forces approach Kinshasa.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1997 in Zaire
Explore 9 historical events and records for Zaire in 1997.
Historical records for Zaire in 1997
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 9 of 9 unique records.
9Unique records
1 of 1Page
9Named events on this page
4Named people on this page
2Places on this page
May
Mobutu Rule
His three-decade rule of Zaire collapses.
Kabila Takes Kinshasa
Takes power after ADFL forces enter Kinshasa.
Mobutu Government Overthrown
Rwandan and Ugandan support is crucial to his victory.
President of Zaire
Appointed President of Zaire
Inauguration
Sworn in as President of Zaire in a stadium in front of 35,000 people
September
Death of Mobutu Sese Seko
Death of Mobutu Sese Seko
Death of Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Banga Mobutu
Death of Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Banga Mobutu, in exile in Rabat, Morocco, from prostate cancer which had been developing since 1962
Other events (month unknown)
Hailed by US Secretary of State Albright as a strong new leader
Hailed by US Secretary of State Albright as a "strong new leader" & a "beacon of hope"
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.