Justin Bomboko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Justin Bomboko
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Bomboko in 1960
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| Chairman of the Board of Commissioners-General of Congo-Léopoldville | |
| In office September 1960 – 9 February 1961 |
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| President | Joseph Kasa-Vubu |
| Deputy | Albert Ndele |
| Preceded by | Joseph Iléo (as Prime Minister) |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Iléo (as Prime Minister) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 September 1928 Boleke, Belgian Congo (Now Congo-Kinshasa) |
| Died | 10 April 2014 (aged 85) Brussels, Belgium |
Justin-Marie Bomboko Lokumba Is Elenge (born September 22, 1928 – died April 10, 2014) was an important politician from the Congo. He played a key role in his country's history. He was the first person to serve as the Foreign Minister for the Congo.
He also led the Congolese government for a short time. This role was called the chairman of the College of Commissioners. Bomboko served as Foreign Minister three times: from 1960 to 1963, from 1965 to 1969, and again in 1981. He passed away in Brussels, Belgium, at the age of 85, after a long illness.
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Early Life and Background
Justin-Marie Bomboko was born on September 22, 1928. His birthplace was Boleke, which was part of the Belgian Congo at the time. Today, this area is known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Starting a Government Career
In June 1960, the Congo was becoming independent. Patrice Lumumba was asked to form the country's first government. He needed to choose a Minister of Foreign Affairs. This person would handle the Congo's relationships with other countries.
Bomboko was one of the people considered for this important job. He was chosen because he was an elected representative. This meant he had a lot of political support. Bomboko and another minister were the only ones in the government with university degrees.
Congo's Independence Agreements
On June 29, Bomboko and Lumumba signed a special agreement. It was called the Treaty of Friendship, Assistance, and Co-operation. They signed it with officials from Belgium.
The very next day, June 30, was Independence Day for the Congo. On this historic day, they signed more agreements. These papers officially gave the Congo its freedom and control over its own country.
Setting Up the Foreign Ministry
After independence, Bomboko focused on building his new ministry. This office would manage all of the Congo's foreign relations. He wanted all contact with other countries to go through his ministry.
Challenges After Independence
Just a few days after independence, on July 5, the country faced a big problem. The army, called the Force Publique, started a mutiny. This means the soldiers rebelled against their leaders.
Handling the Mutiny and Foreigners
The army's revolt quickly spread to other towns. Some soldiers wrongly believed that Soviet troops were in the country. They thought these troops were there to disarm the Congolese army.
Because of this, the soldiers attacked the hotel rooms of a Soviet group. This group had been in the Congo for the independence celebrations. Lumumba told Bomboko to make sure all foreign visitors were safe. Bomboko also spent a lot of time helping Europeans. Many wanted to leave the country to escape the violence.
Belgian Intervention and Parliament
On July 10, Belgian troops entered the Congo. They said they were there to protect their own citizens. Bomboko met with Belgians who were leaving the country. He said that he had asked for the Belgian help. However, there is no proof that he actually made this request. He might have said it to calm things down.
Later, the Parliament questioned Bomboko about this. They wanted to know about his role in the Belgian intervention. On July 15, he spoke to Parliament. He denied being involved in the Belgian actions. He also said he agreed with the steps taken by Prime Minister Lumumba and President Joseph Kasa-Vubu to bring back order.
On July 28, Bomboko became part of a special government group. This group was in charge of managing the Congo's relationship with the United Nations.
Awards and Recognition
- 1963: Justin Bomboko was given a special award. He became a Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown. This is a very high honor from Belgium.
