Because of its long exposure to the West and rich heritage of messianic unrest, the lower Congo region, homeland of the Kongo people, was the first area to emerge as a focal point of militantly anti-Belgian sentiment and activity.

The turning point came on 4 January 1959, when Belgian administrators took the fatal step of dispersing a large crowd of ABAKO supporters gathered to attend a political meeting.

"It is our firm intention," King Baudouin I solemnly announced, "without undue procrastination, but without fatal haste, to lead the Congolese forward to independence in prosperity and peace."

In Léopoldville, the ethnic Kongo elements soon came into conflict with groups of Lingala-speaking people from the interior; in 1959 and 1960 this rivalry became a major point of contention between the forces of ethno-regionalism and the claims of territorial nationalism.

ABAKO was eventually dissolved in 1966 when the authoritarian presidential-type regime led by Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, based on single-party rule by his Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR), was established.