) ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Information ▁and ▁Tour ism ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁Bol amba ▁was ▁born ▁to ▁a ▁Mongo ▁family ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Congo . ▁During ▁his ▁education ▁he ▁took ▁interest ▁in ▁French ▁literature ▁and ▁soon ▁there after ▁began ▁to ▁write , ▁publishing ▁various ▁works ▁and ▁contrib uting ▁to ▁Cong ol ese ▁period ical s . ▁He ▁gained ▁public ▁attention ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁after ▁winning ▁awards ▁for ▁his ▁writing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁he ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁the ▁colonial ▁government ▁to ▁manage ▁its ▁press ▁division , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁editor - in - ch ief ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁publication , ▁La ▁Vo ix ▁du ▁Cong ol ais . ▁Bol amba ▁held ▁much ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Lé op old ville ▁and ▁frequently ▁discussed ▁the ▁social ▁imp lications ▁of ▁colonial ism . ▁He ▁also ▁began ▁writing ▁poetry , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁he ▁released ▁a ▁collection ▁entitled ▁Es an zo : ▁Ch ants ▁pour ▁mon ▁pays , ▁which ▁art ic ulated ▁his ▁Mongo ▁and ▁Cong ol ese ▁identity . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁La ▁Vo ix ▁du ▁Cong ol ais ▁ceased ▁publication . ▁Bol amba , ▁a ▁self - des cribed ▁liberal , ▁grew ▁increasing ly ▁involved ▁in ▁politics ▁and ▁founded ▁the ▁Parti ▁de ▁l ' Ind ép endance ▁et ▁de