Zaire wider campaign of , ridding the country of the influences from the colonial era of the Belgian Congo, was also launched under Mobutu's direction. Weakened by the end of American support after the end of the Cold War, Mobutu was forced to declare a new republic in 1990 to cope with demands for change. By the time of its downfall, Mobutu's rule was characterised by widespread cronyism, corruption and economic mismanagement. Zaire collapsed in the 1990s, amid the destabilization of the eastern parts of the state in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide and growing ethnic violence. In 1996, ,
Zaire 74 performers included Celia Cruz and the Fania All-Stars. The concert was promoted by Don King, as a part of the build-up to the Ali-Foreman fight. At the time of the event, Zaire was run by Mobutu, a dictator who became notorious for corruption, nepotism and human rights violations. Mobutu agreed to host the festival and to help cover its costs. A documentary about the Zaire 74 festival, entitled "Soul Power", was released in 2009. The film was directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, who served as the editor on the 1996 documentary "When We Were Kings", which also contains selections of concert