Photos: DRC leaders 1960 – 2018; Lumumba, Mobutu, The Kabilas

The Democratic Republic of Congo is looking to elect its fifth president in a space of fifty eight years. Voters in the former Belgian colony go to the polls on December 23, 2018.

It is the third straight election with a historic leaning of being the first democratic handover of presidential authority – all things being equal. Power in the past has been snatched with deadly incidences, DRC’s power transfers has been of ousters and assassinations.

Our Africa Elections page is closely following history unfold in the DRC but whiles at it, slide back into history and with benefit of photos, relive the country’s presidential history.

Here is what you need to know for starters

• The first, Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was arrested then assassinated in 1961, a year after taking office.

• Lumumba was ousted by President Joseph Kasavubu. Kasavubu and then PM Moise Tshombe were also ousted by Joseph Mobutu in 1965.

• Mobutu Sese Seko took over in 1965 till he was also ousted in 1997 by Laurent Kabila, he died in exile in Morocco.

• Laurent Desire Kabila entered in 1997 till his assassination by a personal guard in 2001.

• Joseph Kabila Kabange took over in 2001 and won polls in 2006 and 2011, stayed for two extra years.

All things being equal, after December 23, Congolese and the world await the fifth occupant of the presidency.