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| 1997, March 15 |
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| Rebels in Zaire (supported by troops from several neighboring countries) captured the third largest city, Kisangani, threatening the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, who had ruled for 31 years and faced severe charges of corruption. On April 9 Mobutu imposed military rule throughout the country. | 1 |
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| April 14–15 |
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| The Zairean opposition began a general strike in the capital city of Kinshasa, essentially shutting the city down. | 2 |
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| May 16 |
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| Pres. Mobutu relinquished power and guerrilla Laurent Kabila declared himself the country's new leader. | 3 |
| Mobutu fled Kinshasa, en route to Morocco. Many of his supporters and family fled across the border to Brazzaville, in the Republic of the Congo. Speaking from Lubumbashi, Laurent Kaliba declared himself president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (May 17). On May 20, Kabila arrived in Kinshasa and announced on May 23 the formation of the new government, composed mostly of his Alliance des forces démocratiques pour la libération du Congo-Zaire. | 4 |
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| May 29 |
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| Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kabila was sworn in officially as its leader. | 5 |
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| June |
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| Arrests of several high-ranking officials from the Mobutu era were announced. Étienne Tshidekedi, the leading government figure opposing Mobutu, was placed in preventive detention following a speech to students that was critical of the new government. | 6 |
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| June |
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| The UN withdrew its commission charged with inquiring into the disappearance of thousands of Hutu refugees during the AFDL's military campaign against Mobutu's forces. UN officials claimed that the Kabila government had thwarted their efforts. | 7 |
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