A Congolese warlord who led a rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known for sparking a violent conflict that displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Laurent Nkunda, also known as The Chairman, is a former General in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the former warlord leader of a rebel faction operating in the province of North Kivu, sympathetic to Congolese Tutsis and the Tutsi-dominated government of neighboring Rwanda.
Born on February 2, 1967, Nkunda studied psychology at Kisangani University before becoming a school teacher in Kichanga. He is fluent in six languages, including English, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, and Kinande.
During the Rwandan genocide, Nkunda traveled to Rwanda, joining the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) who were fighting against the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR), the military of the genocidal Hutu-led government.
After the RPF defeated the FAR, Nkunda returned to the DRC, where he commanded the former DRC troops of the 81st and 83rd Brigades of the DRC Army.
Nkunda's rebel faction operated in the province of North Kivu, sympathetic to Congolese Tutsis and the Tutsi-dominated government of neighboring Rwanda. He claimed to be fighting to protect the Congolese Tutsi population from persecution.
Nkunda's actions have been widely condemned by human rights groups and the international community, with allegations of human rights abuses, forced conscription of child soldiers, and illegal exploitation of natural resources.
Nkunda is a Pentecostal Christian and claims to have converted many of his troops. He has six children and has expressed admiration for leaders including Gandhi and George W. Bush.
In 2009, Nkunda was put under house arrest in Gisenyi, Rwanda, after being called for a meeting to plan a joint operation between the Congolese and Rwandan militaries.
Laurent Nkunda's legacy is marked by controversy and violence, with his actions contributing to the ongoing instability and humanitarian crisis in the DRC. Despite his claims of fighting for the protection of the Congolese Tutsi population, his actions have been widely criticized, and his warlord status has earned him international notoriety.
54 Years Old
A Congolese soldier-turned-politician who ruled the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 to 2019, known for his controversial presidency marked by corruption and human rights abuses.
86 Years Old
The first democratically elected president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who led the country to independence from Mobutu's regime and implemented economic reforms. He's also known for his mysterious assassination in 2001.
