National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24
November (1965)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15
February 1978; amended April 1990; new transitional constitution
promulgated in April 1994
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa
Za Banga (since 24 November 1965) elected for a seven-year term by
popular vote; election last held 29 July 1984 (next to be held by 9
July 1997); results - President MOBUTU was reelected without
opposition
head of government: Prime Minister Leon KENGO wa Dondo (since 14
June 1994) elected by the High Council of the Republic
cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by mutual agreement
of the president and the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament: a single body consisting of the High Council of the Republic and the Parliament of the Transition with membership equally divided between presidential supporters and opponents
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991
- Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties include
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDI
wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC); Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); Unified Lumumbast
Party (PALU), Antoine GIZENGA; Union of Independent Democrats (UDI),
Leon KENGO wa Dondo
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador TATANENE Manata chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691