Secession of South Kasai

Date: August 9, 1960 • Location: Mbuji-Mayi, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1960–1964.

Led by Albert Kalonji, South Kasai declared its unilateral secession from the Republic of the Congo.

Albert Kalonji was a Congolese politician and businessman from the Luba ya Kasai nobility. He was elected king/emperor (mulopwe) of the Baluba ya Kasai (Bambo) and for most of 1961 styled himself Albert I of South Kasai.