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; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; new draft constitution approved by Transitional Parliament in October 1996, subject to ratification by popular referendum scheduled for February 1997; draft constitution provides for multiparty elections by July 1997
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: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet : National Executive Council normally appointed by mutual agreement of the president and the prime minister; note - Gen. KABILA's cabinet was appointed by him and has no prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); prime minister elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA on 17 May 1997 election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 17 May 1997 when his government was overturned in a coup by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA, who immediately assumed sole governing authority
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament consisting of the combined High Council of the Republic and the Parliament of the Transition (739 seats) elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead the MOBUTO government was overthrown and control of the governing apparatus was seized by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991 -
Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR; other parties include Union
for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa
Mulumba]; Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC; Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFER; Unified Lumumbast
Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union of Independent Democrats or 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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, 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 the US: chief of mission : Charge d'Affaires ad interim Etienne B. J. K. MUKENDI chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 FAX: [1] (202) 686-3631