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Was very pleased to acquire this set from the collection of Mr. Hotokezaka/camouniform.militaryblog.jp, which was displayed on his site for a long time (but seems to have since been removed).
A rather fine condition, not heavily used set featuring a shirt with more of a khaki/tannish base color and a pair of trousers with the more typical, iconic green base color.
These leopard camouflage uniforms were worn by several units of the Zairean Army, including their commandos, Division Spéciale Présidentielle (Special Presidential Brigade, later increased to Division), 31e Brigade Parachutiste, "elite" Kamanyola Infantry Division, the Civil Guard, and among others.
Other African militaries have used leopard patterns like this, or even copied and recolored versions, but based on photograph dates I believe the Zairean pattern was the first one introduced.
My theory is that it was developed and introduced somewhere between 1974-1976 with the creation of the Kamanyola Division, which was supposed to be the most elite unit of the FAZ as Mobutu himself had personally led an attack in the Kamanyola region for which the division was named and based at back in 1964, but supposed poor training and equipment from North Korea led to very poor performance and desertion by the unit in actual combat.
The earliest photos I've seen so far of the leopard pattern date to a 1976 parade, and also sometime in the mid-70's a bright yellowish leopard pattern appeared among Garde Presidentielle/Presidental Guards of the Chadian Armed Forces during their civil war, who were supported by Zaire.
The FAZ performed quite poorly during the Shaba I and II conflicts (1977 and '78, respectively) despite being trained and supplied by multiple foreign militaries including the US, France, Belgium, Cuba, Morocco, and North Korea, and by the 90's were rife with desertion and riots as lack of pay and care to their state of being ultimately helped lead to the collapse of Mobutu's Zaire.
The leopard pattern saw service during both Shaba Conflicts, and was still sporadically being worn by the mid-late 90's during the First Congo War which saw the dissolution of Zaire and its FAZ by 1997, with the leopard pattern and other Zairean uniforms and equipment fading away in the years after.
Starting with the shirt!
The chest pockets, cuffs, and trouser pockets all close with these smaller, lighter colored covered buttons. The right cuff is missing its button.
Note the underside of the pockets were sewn with green base material, and there's the slightly signs of a patch over the left chest pocket, likely an FAZ ("Forces Armées Zaïroises"/Zairean Armed Forces) tape.
The edge of the buttonhole side of the main closure is sewn with curious bright green/teal thread, and the shirt itself is closed with large, flat, olive buttons.
The only marking is this fabric tag made of matching camouflage fabric with "5.79" stamped on it. Price of the shirt to manufacture? Price to the soldier to pay for? Obscure sizing system?
And finally, the epaulets are secured with brass buttons emblazoned with leopards. The leopard was a major symbol to Mobutu to say the least!
Now onto the trousers. They feature a button waist and fly, five large belt loops that can fit a web belt, two single covered button leg cargo pockets, and a single rear exposed button pocket.
There are no reinforcements or ankle drawstrings.
There is a single camo fabric tag inside the trousers again, but this time with a simple "2", likely inspired from French uniform sizing.
I wear a US Small-Regular trouser and these are too small in the waist for me.
Also note that opposite the shirt, the inner fly fabric and underside of the leg cargo pocket flaps are sewn with the tan-base color fabric.
Now for some insignia!
First up, from the collection of a long-time US-based insignia collector, a Commando Instructor patch, said to have been traded for back in 1989.
He had several other Zairean patches and pocket hangers, but this was the only one I could get. The quality strikes me as a Belgian or other foreign made one.
I've seen a couple of patches like this one sewn to the right sleeves of both leopard and jigsaw camouflage shirts.
If anybody knows more about Zairean insignia and can shed light on them, I'd be highly grateful!
And second, a very recent addition, a commando's epaulet or pocket hanger patch, not sure on how this was supposed to be worn.
This one came out of France and was traded by a French soldier who brought it back.
From what I can scrape and translate from a French collector forum thread, supposedly these hangers were handmade by tailors for graduating commandos, and there only exists the exact number of hangers for the number of commando graduates there were. Whether that's true or not I can't say, but I've seen at least 7 or 8 of these over the years and all were equally "field made" looking, unlike the previous instructor patch.
And finally, some good ol' reference pics! I have more of other uniforms and equipment being worn as well for anyone interested.
"4-20-1977- Kinshasa, Zaire. Two prisoners, captured by Zairean forces in the Shaba insurrection, stand dejectedly on display at a rally held in support of Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko (L)."
Interesting pic of perhaps another brighter color type of leopard being worn, maybe one similar to the Chadian or Libyan types.
Unknown date. This cap has an interesting darker coloration, perhaps from sweat or just the dye. There seems to have been one, possibly two types of field cap made in the leopard pattern.
They have a low crown, floppy, stitched bill, vent holes, and wraparound fold down external ear flap, though some photos show caps without earflaps, perhaps there were summer and winter version caps or perhaps some soldiers simply cut the flaps off. These caps would normally have been fit with a full color enamel cockade to the front depicting an arm holding a torch, as seen on the flag of Zaire.
"20 April 1977,Zairean president Mobutu Sese Seko, brandishing his sculpted stick, acknowledges a cheering crowd at a rally in Kinshasa."
Visiting wounded soldiers.
Unloading a Zairean Air Force cargo plane, maybe a Transall C-160?.
Mobutu and some unknown general officers.
Standing in front of a cargo plane, one of the Shaba conflicts.
Unknown general officer.
Captured rebel munitions during one of the Shaba conflicts.
"Commandos from the Zaire Armed Forces on a street during fighting between FLNC rebels and French and Belgian paratroopers in the city of Kolwezi, Shaba II, May 1978." The two men far right have leopard caps.
A Zairean commando prepares to jump. Note his French para helmet, US SWD goggles, and full color green commando patch on his right shoulder.
Zairean commandos during an exercise. Note their US ALICE webbing and radio packs. They also have some sort of green epaulet slides with metal insignia on them, and the man on the right has some sort of arch tab on his left sleeve that I can't quite read but looks like gold on black "Commando".
Kamanyola Infantry Division on parade, unknown date.
General Kikunda, Colonel Ikuku, General Singa, and Mobutu.
Idi Amin and Mobutu.
"Zaire Armed Forces guard President of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko as he visits the city of Kolwezi following fighting between FLNC rebels and French and Belgian paratroopers, Shaba II, 1978."
Note the US supplied M16's and OG utilities worn right. The man closest to the camera has an olive uniform that seems to be in the same cut as the leopard uniform.
The general officer to the rear left is wearing leopard, with bright red epaulet rank slides and para wings over his right pocket.
Colonel Loubaris with Mobutu.
FAZ during Shaba I.
"French Legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment talking with soldiers of the Zairian army during the Battle of Kolwezi, Shaba II, June 2, 1978."
Moroccan Army Lt. Colonel Ben Abdelwahed. Morocco provided heavy troop and material support during Shaba I.
"May 05, 1977 Zaire, Mutshatsha. President Mobutu Sese Seko speaks to his soldiers when he visited front-line posts."
"May 05, 1977 - Zaire, (Near Mutshatsha) Zaire troops guard all bridges they recaptured in the war-torn Shaba Province."
The man left with his foot on the jeep is wearing leopard and a beret, maybe a paratrooper, his FAL looks to either have a folding or perhaps even missing its stock.
"Meeting between Moroccan and Zairian soldiers in Katanga, during the first Shaba war, April 20, 1977."
Note that despite his epaulet being torn loose, he still has the torch cockade on his cap.
Also note the Moroccan soldier between the handshake wearing what looks to be an early plated body armor vest.
Unknown, seems to be from the same book as the color Kamanyola parade photo.
The only context was the filename "Mercenary", which you'll notice at least two white men, one mustached behind the leopard-clad Zairean soldier, and another wearing sunglasses behind the pack.
"Military parade for the 11th Anniversary of the Second Republic in Kinshasa, November 24, 1976 in Zaire."
The earliest date I've seen of the leopard pattern being worn.
Note the torch cockades on their caps, and none of them have "FAZ ##" tapes over their left pockets, which actually seem to be quite rare in photographs.
From the same parade, female soldiers. They wear a fascinating female uniform with a dress style cap, short sleeve jacket, and long knee-length skirts.
These must be exceedingly rare as these photos are the only evidence I've ever seen of female leopard uniforms even existing, and I doubt many were made and even fewer, if any, survived the collapse of Zaire.
"Mobutu Sese Seko visits the Zairean army in the province of Shaba in April 1977, Zaire."
An unknown officer.
"President Mobutu chats with Commander of the Moroccan troops Colonel Loubaris."
"Zairean paratrooper of the 31e Brigade Parachutiste monitoring Kolwezi airport on March 24, 1977."
"Zairean troops monitoring Kolwezi airport on March 24, 1977."
"Soldiers of the Zairian Civil Guard during a speech by General Mahele, between 1991-1993."
The only photo I've seen of the bush hat being worn. It's a copy of the French Mle-1949 ‘Le Chapeau de Brousse' with snap up sides and a chinstrap.
I've seen maybe two or three of these in collections, the last one I saw sold for some $250+...
An unknown white soldier, perhaps an advisor or mercenary.
Female soldiers wearing the standard leopard uniform.
"Zairean soldiers armed with bow and arrows and automatic weapons cheer after their continuing victory in Shaba Province, April 1977."
"Zairean soldier showing inscriptions on a wall in the private chambers of General Katangais M'Bumba April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldier typing at the typewriter during the occupation of General Katangais M'Bumba's private quarters, April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldiers occupying the headquarters of General Katangese M'Bumba April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldiers on the front of Mutshatsha in the province of Shaba on April 25, 1977, Zaire."
April 20th.
"Zairean forces capture a rebel stronghold."
"Zairean troops in Southern Shaba, Shaba I 1977."
"Zairean troops with a beret-wearing Moroccan military advisor, Shaba I, 1977."
"Zairean soldier steals from a Rwandan civilian on July 17, before he crosses the country, fleeing from RPF forces, 1996 or '97."
That's all for now, enjoy!
-Nate
A rather fine condition, not heavily used set featuring a shirt with more of a khaki/tannish base color and a pair of trousers with the more typical, iconic green base color.
These leopard camouflage uniforms were worn by several units of the Zairean Army, including their commandos, Division Spéciale Présidentielle (Special Presidential Brigade, later increased to Division), 31e Brigade Parachutiste, "elite" Kamanyola Infantry Division, the Civil Guard, and among others.
Other African militaries have used leopard patterns like this, or even copied and recolored versions, but based on photograph dates I believe the Zairean pattern was the first one introduced.
My theory is that it was developed and introduced somewhere between 1974-1976 with the creation of the Kamanyola Division, which was supposed to be the most elite unit of the FAZ as Mobutu himself had personally led an attack in the Kamanyola region for which the division was named and based at back in 1964, but supposed poor training and equipment from North Korea led to very poor performance and desertion by the unit in actual combat.
The earliest photos I've seen so far of the leopard pattern date to a 1976 parade, and also sometime in the mid-70's a bright yellowish leopard pattern appeared among Garde Presidentielle/Presidental Guards of the Chadian Armed Forces during their civil war, who were supported by Zaire.
The FAZ performed quite poorly during the Shaba I and II conflicts (1977 and '78, respectively) despite being trained and supplied by multiple foreign militaries including the US, France, Belgium, Cuba, Morocco, and North Korea, and by the 90's were rife with desertion and riots as lack of pay and care to their state of being ultimately helped lead to the collapse of Mobutu's Zaire.
The leopard pattern saw service during both Shaba Conflicts, and was still sporadically being worn by the mid-late 90's during the First Congo War which saw the dissolution of Zaire and its FAZ by 1997, with the leopard pattern and other Zairean uniforms and equipment fading away in the years after.
Starting with the shirt!
The chest pockets, cuffs, and trouser pockets all close with these smaller, lighter colored covered buttons. The right cuff is missing its button.
Note the underside of the pockets were sewn with green base material, and there's the slightly signs of a patch over the left chest pocket, likely an FAZ ("Forces Armées Zaïroises"/Zairean Armed Forces) tape.
The edge of the buttonhole side of the main closure is sewn with curious bright green/teal thread, and the shirt itself is closed with large, flat, olive buttons.
The only marking is this fabric tag made of matching camouflage fabric with "5.79" stamped on it. Price of the shirt to manufacture? Price to the soldier to pay for? Obscure sizing system?
And finally, the epaulets are secured with brass buttons emblazoned with leopards. The leopard was a major symbol to Mobutu to say the least!
Now onto the trousers. They feature a button waist and fly, five large belt loops that can fit a web belt, two single covered button leg cargo pockets, and a single rear exposed button pocket.
There are no reinforcements or ankle drawstrings.
There is a single camo fabric tag inside the trousers again, but this time with a simple "2", likely inspired from French uniform sizing.
I wear a US Small-Regular trouser and these are too small in the waist for me.
Also note that opposite the shirt, the inner fly fabric and underside of the leg cargo pocket flaps are sewn with the tan-base color fabric.
Now for some insignia!
First up, from the collection of a long-time US-based insignia collector, a Commando Instructor patch, said to have been traded for back in 1989.
He had several other Zairean patches and pocket hangers, but this was the only one I could get. The quality strikes me as a Belgian or other foreign made one.
I've seen a couple of patches like this one sewn to the right sleeves of both leopard and jigsaw camouflage shirts.
If anybody knows more about Zairean insignia and can shed light on them, I'd be highly grateful!
And second, a very recent addition, a commando's epaulet or pocket hanger patch, not sure on how this was supposed to be worn.
This one came out of France and was traded by a French soldier who brought it back.
From what I can scrape and translate from a French collector forum thread, supposedly these hangers were handmade by tailors for graduating commandos, and there only exists the exact number of hangers for the number of commando graduates there were. Whether that's true or not I can't say, but I've seen at least 7 or 8 of these over the years and all were equally "field made" looking, unlike the previous instructor patch.
And finally, some good ol' reference pics! I have more of other uniforms and equipment being worn as well for anyone interested.
"4-20-1977- Kinshasa, Zaire. Two prisoners, captured by Zairean forces in the Shaba insurrection, stand dejectedly on display at a rally held in support of Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko (L)."
Interesting pic of perhaps another brighter color type of leopard being worn, maybe one similar to the Chadian or Libyan types.
Unknown date. This cap has an interesting darker coloration, perhaps from sweat or just the dye. There seems to have been one, possibly two types of field cap made in the leopard pattern.
They have a low crown, floppy, stitched bill, vent holes, and wraparound fold down external ear flap, though some photos show caps without earflaps, perhaps there were summer and winter version caps or perhaps some soldiers simply cut the flaps off. These caps would normally have been fit with a full color enamel cockade to the front depicting an arm holding a torch, as seen on the flag of Zaire.
"20 April 1977,Zairean president Mobutu Sese Seko, brandishing his sculpted stick, acknowledges a cheering crowd at a rally in Kinshasa."
Visiting wounded soldiers.
Unloading a Zairean Air Force cargo plane, maybe a Transall C-160?.
Mobutu and some unknown general officers.
Standing in front of a cargo plane, one of the Shaba conflicts.
Unknown general officer.
Captured rebel munitions during one of the Shaba conflicts.
"Commandos from the Zaire Armed Forces on a street during fighting between FLNC rebels and French and Belgian paratroopers in the city of Kolwezi, Shaba II, May 1978." The two men far right have leopard caps.
A Zairean commando prepares to jump. Note his French para helmet, US SWD goggles, and full color green commando patch on his right shoulder.
Zairean commandos during an exercise. Note their US ALICE webbing and radio packs. They also have some sort of green epaulet slides with metal insignia on them, and the man on the right has some sort of arch tab on his left sleeve that I can't quite read but looks like gold on black "Commando".
Kamanyola Infantry Division on parade, unknown date.
General Kikunda, Colonel Ikuku, General Singa, and Mobutu.
Idi Amin and Mobutu.
"Zaire Armed Forces guard President of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko as he visits the city of Kolwezi following fighting between FLNC rebels and French and Belgian paratroopers, Shaba II, 1978."
Note the US supplied M16's and OG utilities worn right. The man closest to the camera has an olive uniform that seems to be in the same cut as the leopard uniform.
The general officer to the rear left is wearing leopard, with bright red epaulet rank slides and para wings over his right pocket.
Colonel Loubaris with Mobutu.
FAZ during Shaba I.
"French Legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment talking with soldiers of the Zairian army during the Battle of Kolwezi, Shaba II, June 2, 1978."
Moroccan Army Lt. Colonel Ben Abdelwahed. Morocco provided heavy troop and material support during Shaba I.
"May 05, 1977 Zaire, Mutshatsha. President Mobutu Sese Seko speaks to his soldiers when he visited front-line posts."
"May 05, 1977 - Zaire, (Near Mutshatsha) Zaire troops guard all bridges they recaptured in the war-torn Shaba Province."
The man left with his foot on the jeep is wearing leopard and a beret, maybe a paratrooper, his FAL looks to either have a folding or perhaps even missing its stock.
"Meeting between Moroccan and Zairian soldiers in Katanga, during the first Shaba war, April 20, 1977."
Note that despite his epaulet being torn loose, he still has the torch cockade on his cap.
Also note the Moroccan soldier between the handshake wearing what looks to be an early plated body armor vest.
Unknown, seems to be from the same book as the color Kamanyola parade photo.
The only context was the filename "Mercenary", which you'll notice at least two white men, one mustached behind the leopard-clad Zairean soldier, and another wearing sunglasses behind the pack.
"Military parade for the 11th Anniversary of the Second Republic in Kinshasa, November 24, 1976 in Zaire."
The earliest date I've seen of the leopard pattern being worn.
Note the torch cockades on their caps, and none of them have "FAZ ##" tapes over their left pockets, which actually seem to be quite rare in photographs.
From the same parade, female soldiers. They wear a fascinating female uniform with a dress style cap, short sleeve jacket, and long knee-length skirts.
These must be exceedingly rare as these photos are the only evidence I've ever seen of female leopard uniforms even existing, and I doubt many were made and even fewer, if any, survived the collapse of Zaire.
"Mobutu Sese Seko visits the Zairean army in the province of Shaba in April 1977, Zaire."
An unknown officer.
"President Mobutu chats with Commander of the Moroccan troops Colonel Loubaris."
"Zairean paratrooper of the 31e Brigade Parachutiste monitoring Kolwezi airport on March 24, 1977."
"Zairean troops monitoring Kolwezi airport on March 24, 1977."
"Soldiers of the Zairian Civil Guard during a speech by General Mahele, between 1991-1993."
The only photo I've seen of the bush hat being worn. It's a copy of the French Mle-1949 ‘Le Chapeau de Brousse' with snap up sides and a chinstrap.
I've seen maybe two or three of these in collections, the last one I saw sold for some $250+...
An unknown white soldier, perhaps an advisor or mercenary.
Female soldiers wearing the standard leopard uniform.
"Zairean soldiers armed with bow and arrows and automatic weapons cheer after their continuing victory in Shaba Province, April 1977."
"Zairean soldier showing inscriptions on a wall in the private chambers of General Katangais M'Bumba April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldier typing at the typewriter during the occupation of General Katangais M'Bumba's private quarters, April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldiers occupying the headquarters of General Katangese M'Bumba April 1977, Zaire."
"Zairean soldiers on the front of Mutshatsha in the province of Shaba on April 25, 1977, Zaire."
April 20th.
"Zairean forces capture a rebel stronghold."
"Zairean troops in Southern Shaba, Shaba I 1977."
"Zairean troops with a beret-wearing Moroccan military advisor, Shaba I, 1977."
"Zairean soldier steals from a Rwandan civilian on July 17, before he crosses the country, fleeing from RPF forces, 1996 or '97."
That's all for now, enjoy!
-Nate
