▁member ▁of ▁the ▁regional ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁Office ▁des ▁C ités ▁Afr ic aines , ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁consult ative ▁committee ▁for ▁the ▁F onds ▁du ▁Ro i . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁Bol amba ▁was ▁appointed ▁Director - General ▁of ▁Service ▁in ▁the ▁Comm iss ariat ▁of ▁Information . ▁In ▁July ▁he ▁founded ▁the ▁Parti ▁de ▁l ' Ind ép endance ▁et ▁de ▁la ▁Libert é , ▁later ▁becoming ▁its ▁vice ▁president ▁in ▁December . ▁During ▁the ▁municipal ▁elections ▁that ▁month ▁he ▁secured ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁Kal am u ▁commune ▁of ▁Lé op old ville ▁on ▁a ▁Bal ik olo ▁list . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Bel go - C ong ol ese ▁Round ▁Table ▁Conference ▁in ▁January – F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁Belg ium ▁grant ing ▁the ▁Congo ▁independence . ▁From ▁April ▁through ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁tou red ▁West ▁Germany ▁at ▁the ▁inv itation ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁government . ▁Pat rice ▁L um um ba ▁convinced ▁him ▁to ▁join ▁his ▁national ist ▁party , ▁M ouv ement ▁National ▁Cong ol ais - L um um ba ▁( M NC - L ). ▁Bol amba ▁later ▁explained ▁that ▁he ▁did ▁this ▁because ▁L um um ba ▁supported ▁national ▁unity , ▁though ▁he ▁still ▁identified ▁himself ▁primarily ▁as ▁a ▁liberal . ▁In ▁the ▁general ▁elections ▁he ▁un success fully ▁ran ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Deput ies ▁on