Évariste Leon Kimba Mutombo was a Congolese journalist and politician who served as Foreign Minister of the State of Katanga from 1960 to 1963 and Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 13 October to 25 November 1965. Kimba was born in 1926 in Katanga Province, Belgian Congo. Following the completion of his studies he worked as a journalist and became editor-in-chief of the Essor du Congo. In 1958 he and a group of Katangese concerned about domination of their province by people from the neighbouring Kasaï region founded the Confédération des associations tribales du Katanga (CONAKAT), a regionalist political party. In 1960 the Congo became independent and shortly thereafter Moise Tshombe declared the secession of the State of Katanga. Kimba played an active role in the separatist state's government as its Minister of Foreign Affairs and participated in numerous talks with the central government aimed at political reconciliation. Following the collapse of the secession in early 1963, Kimba had a falling out with Tshombe and took up several ministerial posts in the new province of South Katanga.
The Belgo-Congolese Round Table Conference was a meeting organized in two parts in 1960 in Brussels between on the one side representatives of the Congolese political class and chiefs and on the other side Belgian political and business leaders. The round table meetings led to the adoption of sixteen resolutions on the future of the Belgian Congo and its institutional reforms. With a broad consensus, the date for independence was set on June 30, 1960.
Justin-Marie Bomboko Lokumba Is Elenge, was a Congolese politician and statesman. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Congo. He served as leader of the Congolese government as chairman of the College of Commissioners. He also served as Foreign Minister for three different tenures: 1960–1963, 1965–1969, and again in 1981. Bomboko died from a long-illness in Brussels, Belgium, aged 85.
Jean Bolikango, later Bolikango Akpolokaka Gbukulu Nzete Nzube, was a Congolese educator, writer, and conservative politician. He served twice as Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo, in September 1960 and from February to August 1962. Enjoying substantial popularity among the Bangala people, he headed the Parti de l'Unité Nationale and worked as a key opposition member in Parliament in the early 1960s.
Joseph-Georges Kasongo was a Tanganyikan-born Congolese lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the first President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of the Congo. He later held office as a deputy prime minister and as a senator.
Jason Sendwe was a Congolese politician and a leader of the Association Générale des Baluba du Katanga (BALUBAKAT) party. He served as Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from August 1961 until January 1963, and as President of the Province of North Katanga from September 1963 until his death, with a brief interruption.
Maurice Mpolo was a Congolese politician who served as Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of the Congo in 1960. He briefly led the Congolese army that July. He was executed alongside Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in Katanga in 1961.
Joseph Okito was a Congolese politician and close political ally to Patrice Lumumba who briefly served as Second Vice-President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was executed alongside Lumumba in Katanga in 1961.
Alphonse Songolo was a Congolese politician who served as the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)'s first Minister of Communications. He was a prominent member of the Mouvement National Congolais in Stanleyville and a close partner of Patrice Lumumba. However, in October 1960 he denounced Lumumba and was shortly thereafter imprisoned by pro-Lumumba authorities. He was executed in February 1961 in retaliation for the deaths of several pro-Lumumba politicians.
Gilbert-Pierre Pongo was a Congolese politician and intelligence officer who briefly served as an inspector of the Sûreté Nationale of the fledgling Democratic Republic of the Congo and as a communications liaison. He oversaw the capture of deposed Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in 1960. His role in the affair led to his execution by Lumumba's supporters in February 1961. He was also known for being the father of Congolese singer M'Pongo Love.
Isaac Kalonji Mutambayi was a Congolese Protestant minister and statesman who served as the President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1962 until 1965. He was one of the few politicians to serve the country continuously from its independence in 1960 until its democratisation in the 1990s.
Jean-Chrysostome Weregemere or Weregemere Bingwa Nyalumeke was a Congolese politician who led a faction of the Centre du Regroupement Africain. He served as Minister of Agriculture in the Congolese government from August 1961 until July 1962 and then as Minister of Justice until December 1962. Weregemere later held prominent positions in parastatals and sat on the central committee of the Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution from 1980 until 1985.
Alphonse Ilunga or Ilunga Dibwe Luakamanyabo is a Congolese politician.
Rémy Mwamba (1921–1967) was a Congolese politician who twice served as Minister of Justice of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was also a leading figure of the Association Générale des Baluba du Katanga (BALUBAKAT).
Barthélemy Mukenge Nsumpi Shabantu was a Congolese politician who served as President of Kasaï Province from 11 June 1960 to January 1962 and July to September 1962. He was a president of the Association des Lulua-Frères, a Lulua ethnic syndicate, and a leading member of the Union National Congolaise. Though initially allied with nationalist Patrice Lumumba, he later denounced him and aligned himself with more moderate politicians. Following the division of Kasai Province in late 1962, Mukenge became Minister of Health and Minister of Social Affairs of the new Luluabourg Province. He later served as Governor of Kivu Province and on the Political Bureau of the Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution. He withdrew from politics in 1974 and died in 2018.
The College of Commissioners-General was a body of university graduates that acted as the third government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the leadership of Albert Ndele from 20 September 1960 to 3 October 1960 and Justin Marie Bomboko from 3 October 1960 until 9 February 1961.
Jean-Pierre Finant was a Congolese politician who served as the first President of Orientale Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from June until October 1960.
Jean Miruho was a Congolese politician who served as President of Kivu Province.
In August 1960 troops of the Republic of the Congo attempted to crush the secession of South Kasai by invading the declared state's territory. Though initially militarily successful, the attack faltered under intense international and domestic political scrutiny and the Congolese troops were withdrawn.
Jean-Baptiste Kibwe Pampala Uwitwa was a Congolese-Katangese politician who was the Minister of Justice and Vice-President of the State of Katanga.
