20,000 BC

Pre-Kongo Civilization

Archaeologists today note use of Ishango Bones, arguably the earliest mathematical artifact in the world, as calculator and lunar calendar. Used when conducting commercial transactions and for scientific purposes. Compared to the abacus which originated around 2400 BC and 300 BC, i.e. 17,600 – 19,700 years later.

2,000 BC

Bantu migration into Central Africa

From the Northwest Africa to where modern-day Congo is located

1000 BC – 1500 AD

Height of Kongo Empire

  • Establishment of local, regional and international trading networks.
  • Crops and fish maintained Kongo as the breadbasket of a region the size of the US.
  • Raw materials, e.g. iron and ivory, transported to the ports of Mombasa, Kilwa and Sofala from where they were shipped as far as China and India.
  • Development and trade of iron and copper technologies and ores.
  • Prosperous business, financial wealth, strong government and politico-economic expansion are hallmarks of the Kongo Empire.

1400s

Kongolese Empire’s First Recorded Contact with Europeans

  • Portuguese explorers commissioned by the Crown to look for new trade routes travel into Central Africa.
  • The West’s first introduction to Kongo’s vast human and natural resources. Europeans begin utilizing Kongolese trading routes for commerce in human and natural resources.
  • Enslaved people added to the mix of goods transported along trading networks. King João III
  • Mani Kongo writes King João III of Portugal, imploring him to cease the slave trade as it was destroying his society.

1500 – 1800

Decline of the Kongo Empire

So many people sold into slavery that the empire collapsed due to lack of human resources and the cost of war with the Portuguese.

1870 – 1920

Start of European Colonization

  • Berlin Conference: Congo appropriated and given to King Leopold II of Belgium as his own personal property.
  • The United States became the first country to recognize the Congo Free State under the rulership of King Leopold II.

1885 – 1908

King Leopold II’s Rule

  • Leopold’s regime began undertaking various development projects, such as the railway system which took years to complete. The goal of almost all projects was to increase the financial capital of Leopold and his cohorts, e.g. rubber production for use in making tires.
  • Exploitation and abuse of people and land in order to obtain maximum profits at minimum financial cost.
  • Leopold’s profits used to build several buildings in Brussels and Ostend to honor himself and his country.
  • 10 million – 15 million Congolese die within a 23-year period due to exploitation and diseases as a result of King Leopold’s natural resources profiteering ventures.

1908

Belgium Colonial Rule

Belgium takes over rulership of Congo due to international outcry over the atrocities that King Leopold II committed during his reign.

1939 – 1945

World War II

  • Congolese army wins several battles against the Italians in north Africa.
  • Congo supplies uranium used to build atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
  • Congo offered to Hitler as a bargaining chip for him to lift his occupation of Europe.

1960

Mobutu Sese Sekou’s Rule

  • Sese Seko begins dictatorship after a Western-backed coup (mainly U.S. & Belgium).
  • By 1984, Mobutu said to have amassed 4 billion U.S. dollars, an amount close to the country’s national debt, stashed away in personal Swiss bank accounts. Money mostly obtained from Congolese state mining companies.

1997 – 2001

Laurent Desire Kabila’s Rule

Mobutu’s dictatorial rule ends with the takeover of power By Laurent Desire Kabila with the backing of Rwanda and Uganda.

1998 – 2002

The Congo War

  • War breaks out after Rwanda tries to remove Kabila from power. Seven other African countries eventually become embroiled in what was dubbed Africa’s First World war.
  • War officially ends with peace talks in South Africa.

2001 – 2018

Joseph Kabila’s Rule

  • In 2001, Laurent Kabila is assassinated and replaced by his son Joseph Kabila.
  • By 2003, a transition government and parliament were established to lead the Congo to elections.
  • In 2005, Congolese overwhelmingly vote yes in a referendum on a new Congolese constitution.
  • Elections were held in 2006 which resulted in the election of Joseph Kabila as president.
  • Kabila appointed long-time Lumumbist Antonie Gizenga of PALU to be prime minister. Gizenga served as deputy prime minister in Patrice Lumumba’s government of 1960. Gizenga resigned on September 25, 2008 and was subsequently replaced by former Finance Minister, Adolphe Muzito, on October 10, 2008.
  • The last elections took place on November 28, 2011. Joseph Kabila won the 2011 elections due to massive fraud. As a result of the widespread cheating that took place during the elections, he lacks the legitimacy among the Congolese masses. Kabila appointed the former Finance Minister, Augustin Matata Ponyo as Prime Minister in April 2012.The next presidential elections were supposed to take place in 2016.
  • However, President Joseph Kabila refused to organize elections in 2016 in an attempt to hold on to power. He negotiated with the opposition with the assistance of the Catholic Church in a December 31, 2016 Agreement (Commonly referred to as the Saint Sylvestre Agreement) to hold elections by the end of 2017. He broke the agreement by not organizing elections. Finally, after tremendous pressure from the Congolese masses, regional powers like Angola and South Africa and the international community, Kabila agreed to organize elections on December 23, 2018. He also named a successor to run in the December elections and said he would step down. According to Congo’s Constitution, Joseph Kabila as a former President can serve in the Congolese Senate for life.

2006 – 2009

CNDP Rebellion

The CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People) was founded on July 26, 2006, soon after the national elections took place, by Laurent Nkunda. It was made up of ex-RCD soldiers who defected from the Congolese army.

The CNDP rebellion lasted from 2006 until 2009.

Rwanda supported the CNDP because they could exert Rwandan influence and control of key areas in eastern Congo, allowing Rwanda to make huge profits.

Kabila supported the FDLR to counter the threat and influence of Rwanda.

The Goma Peace Agreement was signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the CNDP on March 23rd, 2009, and it included a plan for integrating the CNDP into Congo’s national army and making CNDP into a political party. In 2009, Rwanda and Congo joined forces and arrested Nkunda while remaining members of the CNDP became a part of the DRC army.

2012 – 2013

M23 Creation and First Occupation of Goma

The M23 (March 23rd Movement) emerged in eastern Congo in 2012 and have actively antagonized Congolese civilians since then, allegeding DRC’s violation of the ceasefire agreement (Goma Peace Agreement signed on March 23rd, 2009) as justification for their terror. They are made up of ex-CNDP soldiers who defected from the Congolese army.

In 2012, the M23 captured Goma for a week.

The international community then put political, diplomatic and military pressure on Rwanda, until the M23 was temporarily defeated.

2018

Election of Felix Tshisekedi

A deal was orchestrated by Kabila, Nangaa, regional leaders and foreign governments to put Tshisekedi in power at the expense of Martin Fayulu.

2021 – Present

M23 Resurfacing

In 2021, President Tshisekedi made a deal with President Museveni of Uganda, deploying Ugandan troops in Congo to fight a militia called the ADF and also for the construction of key roads from Uganda into DR Congo.

Around that time, President Tshisekedi also made a deal with Burundi to deploy Burundian troops in South Kivu – Rwanda was not included.

Rwandan leadership thought they were being isolated since Uganda and Burundi had deals to be in Congo but Rwanda didn’t. Kagame said “We are not invited in the Congo. We shall go there uninvited.”

That is when the M23 became more powerful.

The Rwandan army directly operationally, financially and militarily supports the M23. This is why the M23 has more advanced weaponry. There is evidence that Rwandan soldiers have even been fighting alongside the M23.

2023

Tshisekedi Re-elected

On December 20, 2023 Tshisekedi won a second five-year term.

2025 – Present

Rwandan Army and M23 Occupation of Goma and Bukavu

On January 26, 2025, the Rwandan army and the M23 invaded Goma. On January 27 it was announced that they seized Goma.

The Rwandan government, against international law, is invading Congo. The United Nations estimate that there already were 4,000 Rwandan soldiers on the ground in the Congo.

M23 has been looting, executing, abducting, forcibly recruiting and sexually assaulting civilians.

More than 7,000 people have been killed since the start of the invasion.

The Southern African Development Community has been backing the Congolese army. SADC forces include contingents from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi. UN and Wazalendo are also fighting alongside the Congolese government.

On February 14, the Rwandan army and the M23 invaded and captured Bukavu. On February 16, the Rwandan army and the M23 entered Bukavu’s center without resistance. The Congolese army had withdrawn to avoid city fighting after seeing the horrors that took place in Goma.