Kabila, Joseph (käbēˈlä) [key], 1971–, Congolese political
leader, eldest son of Laurent Kabila. He was educated in
Tanzania while his father was in exile there, and after the
father became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
he received military training in Rwanda and China. Returning
home (1998), he was appointed general, named head of Congo's
armed forces, and became president (2001) after his father's
murder. He quickly reinstated political parties and promised
democratic and economic reforms, and made a series of efforts to
end the raging civil war. In 2002 Kabila signed a peace
agreement with the rebels, but fighting continued. In 2003 UN
forces arrived to restore order, and a transitional national
unity government led by Kabila took office. After he survived
two coup attempts (2004), a new constitution was finally
approved (2005) and presidential elections were held (2006).
Kabila handily defeated rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo in
a runoff election. In 2011 he was declared reelecte