Albert Kalonji

Albert Kalonji (6 June 1929 – 20 April 2015) was a Congolese politician and businessman from the Luba ya Kasai nobility. He was elected king/emperor (mulopwe) of the Baluba ya Kasai (Bambo) and for most of 1961 styled himself Albert I of South Kasai.

Co-founder, along with Patrice Lumumba, of the Congolese National Movement (MNC), he campaigned with him for the independence of the Congo. Internal disagreements led to the split of the MNC into two branches, known as MNC-Lumumba and MNC-Kalonji. In 1960, Kalonji was electedemperor of the Lubas and head of state of South Kasai by the nobility the ministers and the Kasaian people. Kalonji was crowned by the church and the Luba tribe on 12 April 1961. This de facto independence lasted until September 1962.