Question

Why was the Democratic Republic of the Congo renamed “Zaire"? A. A name change was required after independence from Belgium. B. The population voted on the name change. C. The leader wanted to eliminate all European names in the nation. D. The leader renamed the country after the dominant ethnic tribe.

Answer 1

The answer is C: the leader wanted to eliminate all European names in the nation.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was renamed "Zaire" because the leader wanted to eliminate all European names in the nation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In 1971, the leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko, changed the name of the country to Zaire, as a way to end with European cultural presence in the country. Changing all names to African names was part of an Africanization policy. Mobutu also imposed a one-party system in the country, with all the power concentrated in his hands, and became the object of a strong cult of personality.