Background

Present day LOPONGO, a prominent West African kingdom in the 15th century, became a French Colony in the late 1850s and achieved independence on 1 March 1960, as the Republic of Lopongo. A fragile democracy since its inception, it experienced a Marxist-Leninist government from 1972 to 1976, following a coup that overturned the democratic institutions left in place by France. In 1976, tribal, pro-Western forces took the power and installed Kwanto Sei Bruto as the president of the country. President Sei Bruto has hold the position since, thanks to his grip on the tribal coalition between the groups of the Kenema and the Makeni, the two leading tribes in Lopongo. Under President Bruto, the country has suffered a progressive decline, and it now ranks among the poorest and most corrupted countries in Africa. Attempts to restore a democratic process have been thwarted; in 2006, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of his rule, President Sei Bruto ran for re-election amid widespread voting irregularities, and won a second 25-year mandate that might maintain him in power until 2031.
Lopongo is among the lowest ranked countries on the Human Development Index and ninth lowest on the Human Poverty Index, suffering from endemic corruption and suppression of the press.