Thomas R. Kanza

Thomas Rudolphe Kanza (1933–2004) was a Congolese diplomat who served as the Democratic Republic of the Congo's first ambassador to the United Nations from 1960 to 1962 and later as a delegate to the United Kingdom. One of the first Congolese to graduate from university, he opposed the governments of Moïse Tshombe and Mobutu, leading to rebellion and exile before returning in 1983 to resume politics and diplomatic roles until his death. He authored works including the memoir 'The Rise and Fall of Patrice Lumumba' and became a professor of politics at the University of Massachusetts Boston.