Abako Party

The Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO) was a significant political association in the Belgian Congo, which later became Zaire. Formed in 1950, it originated as a cultural organization for the Bakongo people, one of the largest ethnic groups in the region.123

Under the leadership of Joseph Kasavubu, ABAKO evolved into a powerful force for anticolonial protest. The association gained prominence in the late 1950s, advocating for immediate self-government and independence, contrasting with Belgian colonial policies that favored a slower, paternalistic approach. ABAKO's influence was particularly strong in the lower Congo region and Léopoldville (now Kinshasa). While ABAKO sought an independent Congo with a federal structure to ensure Bakongo autonomy, other nationalist movements, like the Congolese National Movement, focused on national unity. ABAKO played a role in the political landscape leading up to the Congo's independence in 1960.231