The city was founded in 1889 in what was then the French colony Haut-Oubangui ( ` Upper Ubangi ' ) . The colony was later renamed Oubangui-Chari and made part of French Equatorial Africa . The city was founded in 1889 in what was then the French colony Haut-Oubangui ( ` Upper Ubangi ' ) , later renamed Oubangui-Chari and made part of French Equatorial Africa .