The College of Commissioners-General (French: Collège des Commissaires-generaux) was a body of university graduates that acted as the third government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Republic of the Congo) under the leadership of Albert Ndele from 20 September 1960 to 3 October 1960 and Justin Marie Bomboko from 3 October 1960 until 9 February 1961. Background On 24 June 1960 the Lumumba Government was installed as the first indigenous government of the new Republic of the Congo. Independence followed on 30 June 1960, but governing became chaotic amid an army mutiny, disorder, and Belgian intervention. Throughout August 1960 President Joseph Kasa-Vubu became increasingly bothered by Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba's growing authoritarianism, the collapse in administration, and the enlarging prospects of civil war. On 5 September Kasa-Vubu announced the revocation of Lumumba's ministerial mandate, along with the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga, three other ministers, and two secretaries of state over the radio. He stated that the President of the Senate, Joseph Iléo, would form a new government. After Lumumba heard of the firing he held heated discussions with his ministers and made three broadcasts, defending his government and declaring Kasa-Vubu to be deposed. Two days later the Chamber of Deputies convened to discuss Kasa-Vubu's dismissal order. The Chamber voted to annul both Kasa-Vubu's and Lumumba's declarations of dismissal, 60 to 19. The following day the Senate delivered the Lumumba Government a vote of confidence, 49 to zero with seven abstentions. According to Article 51, Parliament was granted the "exclusive privilege" to interpret the constitution. In cases of doubt and controversy, the Congolese were originally supposed to appeal constitutional questions to the Belgian Conseil d'État. With the rupture of relations in July this was no longer possible, so no authoritative interpretation or mediation was available to bring a legal resolution to the dispute. Mobutu's coup On 14 September Colonel Joseph-Desiré Mobutu announced over the radio that he was launching a 'peaceful revolution' to break the political impasse and therefore neutralising the President, Lumumba's and Iléo's respective governments, and Parliament until 31 December. He stated that "technicians" would run the administration while the politicians sorted out their differences. In a subsequent press conference he clarified that Congolese university graduates would be asked to form a government and further declared that all Eastern Bloc countries should close their embassies. Lumumba and Kasa-Vubu were both surprised by the coup.