Kabila

Kabila is a surname associated with a prominent political family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Members of the Kabila family have played a central role in the country's politics since the late 1990s, shaping national leadership and policy during periods of transition and conflict.

Laurent-Désiré Kabila (1939–2001) was a military commander who led the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL) to victory against Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997. He became president as the country transitioned from the Mobutu era and changed the state's name back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was assassinated on January 16, 2001, while in office, and was succeeded by his son.

Joseph-Désiré Kabila (born 1971), commonly known as Joseph Kabila, served as head of state from 2001 to 2019. He took over after his father's assassination and oversaw the transition that culminated in general elections in 2006 and 2011, and later the 2018 elections that led to a peaceful transfer of power to Félix Tshisekedi in 2019.

The Kabila era was marked by ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC, efforts at postwar normalization, and significant international involvement, including United Nations peacekeeping missions. The presidency faced criticism over governance, corruption, and the pace of reform, while also presiding over a fragile but durable political transition in a country long beset by instability.

The surname remains associated with contemporary Congolese politics, though the most recent national leadership has moved beyond the Kabila family. The Kabila name continues to appear in public discourse and scholarship on the DRC’s modern history.