The Congolese national government was the first independent government in the Congo.
Municipal elections were held.
Lumumba and Kasavubu were the largest political parties that emerged.
Kasavubu became president and head of state.
Lumumba became prime minister and head of a coalition of many minor parties.
Tshombe became the leader of a provincial assembly in Katanga.
Lumumba wanted to unify the state under his nationalist government.
Kasavubu wanted to rebuild the Congo as the ancient kingdom it used to be.
Mutiny among congolese soldiers erupted. They were angry that the officers in the army were all white despite independence and they wanted Africanization of the officer corps.
Lumumba gave in and agreed to dismiss Belgian officers.
Chaos erupted; there were rampaging troops and a collapse of military authority.
While many Belgians fled the Congo, they also sent troops to stop the killing of their own people and to protect their wealth and property.
Tshombe declared Katanga's independence and invited Belgian troops in to help rid of the Congolese army.
Lumumba had to contact the UN and ask for help in regaining Katanga, eventually asked the Soviet Union for military aid as well.
On September 4, Kasavubu dismissed Lumumba as prime minister.
Later, Joseph Mobutu seizes power and desires to rid newly named Zaire of political conflict.
Lumumba is later arrested, imprisoned, and killed.