1972 – Mobutu Sese Seko Renames Congo to Zaire

On May 15, 1972, President Mobutu Sese Seko of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially renamed the country “Zaire” as part of his “Authenticité” cultural campaign. The goal was to purge colonial influence and restore African identity, including replacing European names with African ones. While the renaming reflected pride in indigenous culture, it also coincided with Mobutu’s increasing authoritarianism and cult of personality. Zaire became symbolic of both post-colonial self-assertion and the dangers of centralized power. The name would last until 1997, when Mobutu was overthrown. May 15 is a complicated marker in African history—representing both an attempt at cultural revival and the contradictions of African nationalism under dictatorial regimes.