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Lumumba Government Gouvernement Lumumba | |
|---|---|
_(1960%E2%80%931963).svg){kind=small} 1st Government of the Republic of the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) | |
 Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba (left center, wearing bow tie) with his government outside the Palais de la Nation following its investiture | |
| Date formed | 24 June 1960 |
| Date dissolved | 10 September 1960[a] |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Joseph Kasa-Vubu[b] |
| Head of government | Patrice Lumumba |
| Deputy head of government | Antoine Gizenga |
| No. of ministers | 23 |
| Status in legislature | MNC-L-led coalition |
| Opposition leaders | Jean Bolikango Joseph Iléo Albert Kalonji |
| History | |
| Election | 1960 Belgian Congo general election |
| Legislature term | 1st Congolese Parliament |
| Budget | £51.5 million (July–December 1960) |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | 1st Iléo Government[c] |
The Lumumba Government (French: Gouvernement Lumumba), also known as the Lumumba Ministry or Lumumba Cabinet, was the first set of ministers, ministers of state, and secretaries of state who governed the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Republic of the Congo) under the leadership of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba from 24 June until 12 September 1960. The government inherited many problems from the era of the Belgian Congo, a tightly administered colony which for most of its existence had few political freedoms. Its members came from different social classes and different tribes, and they held varied political beliefs. Weak and divided, its tenure was dominated by a widespread mutiny in the army and two secessions. An exodus of thousands of Belgian functionaries—who had controlled most of the bureaucracy—left the administration in disarray. The United Nations created a large multinational peacekeeping force to assist the government in reestablishing law and order. Western nations were under the impression that Lumumba was a communist, and the United States, Belgium, and France all worked to undermine and divide his government. Domestic opposition to the government cemented by late July, and Lumumba increasingly relied on only a few advisers, and rarely consulted the full Council of Ministers; several members of the government began acting without his direction. He resorted to increasingly authoritarian measures to maintain control over the country.
On 5 September, President Joseph Kasa-Vubu dismissed Lumumba and six other members of the government. The dismissal order was countersigned by two ministers who disapproved of Lumumba's actions. Lumumba refused to leave office and contested with his replacement over control of the administration. Parliament reaffirmed its confidence in the Lumumba Government, resulting in a constitutional deadlock. On 14 September, Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu launched a coup that definitely removed Lumumba from power and installed his own regime. Lumumba was later murdered, and the constitutional crisis created by his removal remained unresolved until 1961.
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- ^ Franck 1962, p. 650.