Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu

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Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (April 14, 1941 – May 16, 1997) was a top Zairean general and the last army chief under Mobutu Sese Seko. He was born in Équateur, Belgian Congo, and worked as a carpenter before rising in the army. He was a Mbuza, not from Mobutu’s Ngbandi tribe, and he earned his promotion on merit, not through political favors. He trained in France and later joined Mobutu’s bodyguard in the 1970s.

Mahele fought in the Shaba I and Shaba II conflicts and became known for his discipline. After Shaba II he was promoted to general and given command of the Red Berets. In 1990 he led a unit of the Special Presidential Division to Rwanda to help President Juvénal Habyarimana. In 1991 he helped restore order in Kinshasa after riots and mutinies.

Known for his anti-corruption stance, Mahele gained popularity with ordinary Zairians but drew mixed views from other generals. Mobutu briefly named him army chief of staff, but his belief that the military should be apolitical upset the president, who replaced him and had him serve as attaché to the presidency while pursuing business interests.

Late in the First Congo War, Mahele returned to high office as army chief of staff, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of National Defense and Veterans’ Affairs, with a mission to reform the army and defeat Laurent Kabila. On the eve of Mobutu’s overthrow, he was killed by Mobutu loyalists after trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender with Kabila to avoid a bloody battle in Kinshasa. Some suspected Mobutu’s son Kongulu Mobutu, while others dispute this.