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GV Crowds outside 20th of May Stadium
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GV PAN inside stadium
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SV musicians
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CU car President of Togo gets out
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GV other African Heads-of-State arriving (8 shots)
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SV President Mobutu and wife walking through crowds to stand (3 shots)
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SV President Ould Daddah and other guests
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SV President Mobutu watching dancers and musicians(4 shots)
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CU General Amin PAN along other Heads-of-State watching dancers
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GV Dancers (2 shots)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Ten African Heads-of-State have visited Zaire to participate in the nation's eighth anniversary celebrations. Zaire's President General Mobutu Sese Seko, came to power in 1965, after a bloodless coup d'etat deposed the civilian government of the late President Joseph Kasavubu. President Mobutu Sese Seko, then Army Commander-in-Chief, led the coup.

Attending the celebrations on Sunday (25 November) in Kinshasa's May 20th. Stadium were the following African Presidents; Dr. Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, General Idi Amin of Uganda, Moktar Ould Daddah of Mauritania, Hamani Diori of Niger, Commandant Marien Ngouabi of the Congo Republic, General Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, Colonel Michel Micombero of Burundi, Juvenal Habyalimans of Rwanda, Ngartha Tombalbaye of Chad and Major-General Etienne Eyadema of Togo.

Three days after the bloodless coup, the country's parliament gave an overwhelming vote of confidence to General mobutu's government.

In June 1967, a new constitution was approved by a referendum, providing for Presidential rule, a single legislative assembly and universal suffrage. In January 1972, a Nationality Law was passed, requiring all officials to take authentic Zairian names, and President Joseph-Desire Mobutu then become President Mobutu Sese Seko.

SYNOPSIS: Kinshasa's Twentieth of May Stadium, the setting for the highlight of Zaire's eighth anniversary celebrations on Sunday. Citizens from every one of Zaire's eight regions gathered in the nation's capital for the celebrations. Besides the Zairians, many foreign guests, including ten African Heads-of-State attended the festivities. The festival was organised by the M.P.R., Zaire's only political party.

One of the guests at the stadium, President Etienne Eyadema of Togo.

It was a festival to celebrate national unity, as well as the country's anniversary. The bloodless coup d'etat that brought President Mobutu Seae Sako to power was in 1965. the President himself was the leader of the coup, and was at that time Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Only three days afterwards, President Mobutu received an overwhelming vote of confidence from the parliament, and has remained Head-of-State ever since. In June 1967, a new constitution was adopted by a national referendum. It provided for Presidential rule, a single-house legislature, and universal suffrage. In the first month of 1972, a Nationality Law was passed, calling on all officials to adopt authentic Zairian names.

President Moktar Ould Daddah of Mauritan was one of the thousands of people in the stadium, along with President Mobutu Sese Seko, to be treated to displays of traditional and modern dancing.

The celebrations brought together young and old members of the Zaire Arced Forces and ordinary citizens.

Uganda's General Idi Amin was one of several Heads-of-State present who had come from a military background.

Only a week before the anniversary celebration, President Mobutu had taken part in a parade marking the thirteenth year of Zaire's Armed Forces. But the celebrations on Sunday were on a lighter note.