PRESIDENT Mobutu Sese Seko flew out of the Zairean capital yesterday, leaving behind a city torn between celebrating what most people hope is his permanent departure and fear at the prospect of his promised return.
Meanwhile, residents of a rebel held town east of Kinshasa reported the deaths of hundreds of civilians and fighters from both sides of the civil war. The Zairean Red Cross said 10 of its workers were among those killed in the fighting, which began on Sunday night.
"We've been in radio contact with Kenge via Bandundu. They "confirm the death of 10 of our volunteers and have given us the names of the dead," a Zairean Red Cross official said.
Residents of Kenge, in radio contact with Kinshasa, said at least 200 civilians, 106 government troops and 15 of Mr Laurent Kabila's rebels were killed.
Mr Mobutu took his personal Boeing 727 to Gabon, ostensibly for a summit of regional Francophone leaders who have remained sympathetic to him. The few Kinshasans who took notice of the motorcade of stretch limousines, jeeps bristling with weapons and motorcycle outriders sweeping through the city, watched silently as it flashed by. Not many in the capital, facing a rebel takeover within days, were willing to declare Mr Mobutu's reign definitively over.
The large number of his family, including his wife, Ms Bobi Ladawa, and high ranking aides travelling with the president added to the speculation that he is gone for good.
Government forces seemed to be making a last ditch attempt to stall if not halt the rebel advance. Besides the casualties reported from Kenge, heavy fighting was reported around the town of Kikwit, 208 km east of the capital. Residents of villages in the area said the numbers of government troops had risen sharply and included Portuguese speaking men presumed to be members of Angola's Unita rebel army.
Among those who left with Mr Mobutu were members of his minority Ngbandi peoples who have grown rich on his coattails. Gen Kpama Baramoto, the president's brother in law and a former army chief of staff, bolted for South Africa. The general, sacked by Mr Mobutu for incompetence in the face of persistent rebel victories, has been a target of military reprisals ever since.
Several ministers loyal to the former prime minister, Mr Kengo wa Dondo, have also made a break, but others are staying in the hope of finding a role with the new regime. A prominent Mobutu spokesmen, the mining minister, Mr Banza Mukalay Xsungu, has told friends he intends to stay until the rebels take over.
Officials and soldiers are making a last grab for cash. Lorries driving from the port city of Matadi, one of the few roads to the capital still open, say the price of crossing through roadblocks has risen dramatically amid an array of new "taxes".
South Africa's deputy president, Mr Thabo Mbeki, said he believed Mr Mobutu will be back in Zaire tomorrow. After the failure at the weekend of Washington's and Pretoria's joint attempt to bring about the Zairean leader's resignation, both sides are making new efforts. Despite the evidence of continued fighting, Mr Mbeki said he had spoken to Mr Kabila and reminded him of the rebels' pledge to delay their advance on Kinshasa while a negotiated end to the war is a possibility.
. Switzerland would help Zaire trace the assets of President Mobutu if asked by a new government in Kinshasa, a Swiss official, Ambassador Thomas Borer, said yesterday. However, he added that Swiss banks had on several occasions "made clear that they don't hold" any of Mr Mobutu's assets.