Biography of Jean Pierre Bemba, Congolese Politician

Bemba was born on the 4th of November, 1962 in Bokada, Nord-Ubangi. His father, Jeannot Bemba Saolona, was a successful businessman who worked with former Zairian President, Mobutu Sese Seko. In 1998, Bemba began the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), a rebel group turned political party in the Orientale Province of the DRC. The movement gradually moved into the Équateur province and established a permanent base in Gbadolite which had been destroyed by war and had its population living in abject poverty. Social assistance was entirely abandoned in Équateur, and the population was under constant threat of bombing by government forces.
When the MLC troops arrived in Gbadolite, they secured the area and protected its population. After security was guaranteed, health centres and hospitals were reopened, and medical supplies were provided.
The MLC worked with NGOs and the United Nations to reopen schools, restart agriculture, improve economic activity, and resume exportations of goods such as coffee, corn and soya. Life was gradually getting back to normal in Gbadolite. Bemba was one of the 33 candidates who ran in the Congolese presidential election on the 30th of  July, 2006. He adopted the campaign slogan, "One Hundred Percent Congolese," which was widely perceived as an attack on frontrunner president, Joseph Kabila. Fortunately for Bemba, he got some support from the Lingala-speaking portion of the country, including Kinshasa, the capital. Tension rose during the elections until the results were announced on the 20th of August. Kabila won 44% of the vote, while Bemba won 20%. That was only the first round.

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