Books The Untold Biography Of MOBUTU SESE SEKO BY BEST SELLING AUTHOR Peter Clarke

The untold biography of Mobutu Sese Seko by bestselling author Peter Clarke  provide a sweeping and critical examination of the life and rule of the longtime dictator of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu on October 14, 1930, in Lisala, Belgian Congo, the biography would trace his early military career, rise through the ranks, and pivotal role in the post-colonial power struggles of the Congo.

Clarke’s narrative delve into Mobutu’s 1965 coup that installed him as president and his subsequent decades-long reign characterized by a highly personalized and authoritarian rule. The book would explore his policy of "Authenticity," his cultivation of a cult of personality, massive corruption, human rights abuses, and the centralization of power.

It would cover Mobutu’s adept manipulation of Cold War geopolitics, maintaining Western support despite authoritarian practices, and his control over the country’s immense mineral wealth. The biography examine the growing opposition, rebellions, and his eventual downfall to Laurent-Désiré Kabila’s forces in 1997.