Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who served as President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between January 2001 and January 2019. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father,President Laurent-DésiréKabila in the context of the Second Congo War. He was allowed to remain in power after the 2003 Pretoria Accord ended the war as the president of the country's new transitional government. He was elected as president in 2006 and re-elected in 2011 for a second term. Since stepping down after the 2018 election,Kabila,as a former president,serves as a senator for life.
Léon Kengo wa Dondo is a Congolese politician who served as the "first state commissioner" several times under Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaïre. He was one of the most powerful figures in the regime and was a strong advocate of economic globalization and free-market economics. He served as President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2007 to 2019.
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba was a Congolese politician and the leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS),the main opposing political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A long-time opposition leader,he served as Prime Minister of the country on three brief occasions:in 1991,1992–1993,and 1997. He was also the father of the current President,Felix Tshisekedi.
The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo is a political party in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Formerly a rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that fought the government throughout the Second Congo War,it subsequently took part in the transitional government and is one of the main opposition parties.
Antoine Gizenga was a Congolese (DRC) politician who was the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 30 December 2006 to 10 October 2008. He was the Secretary-General of the Unified Lumumbist Party.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second institution in the central executive branch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,the first institution being the President,who has the title of head of state.
Moïse Katumbi Chapwe is a Congolese businessman and politician. He was Governor of Katanga Province,located in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,from 2007 to September 2015. He was a member of the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) until September 2015. He has been described by The Economist as "probably the second most powerful man in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the president,Joseph Kabila". Jeune Afrique named him "African of the Year" in 2015.
The Republican Guard of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,formerly known as the Special Presidential Security Group,is maintained by President Félix Tshisekedi. Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) military officials state that the Garde Républicaine is not the responsibility of FARDC,but the Head of State. Apart from Article 140 of the Law on the Army and Defence,no legal stipulation on the DRC's Armed Forces makes provision for the GR as a distinct unit within the national army. In February 2005,President Joseph Kabila passed a decree which appointed the GR's commanding officer and 'repealed any previous provisions contrary' to that decree. The GR is more than 10,000 strong,and formerly consisted of three brigades,the 10th,at Kinshasa,the 15th,and the 16th,at Lubumbashi. It has better working conditions and is paid regularly,but still commits numerous crimes near their bases,including against United Nations officials.
Senate elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 14 March 2019 to elect the 108 Senators. Former DRC President Joseph Kabila,who stepped down from office in January 2019 following the inauguration of the recently elected Félix Tshisekedi,has also joined the upper house of the legislature as a senator for life,for a total of 109 seats.
Matata Ponyo Mapon is a Congolese political figure who was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 18 April 2012 to 17 November 2016. Previously he served as Minister of Finance from 21 February 2010 to 12 April 2012;as Prime Minister,he retained responsibility for the finance portfolio. He currently serves as Senator for Maniema.
Béni Badibanga Diata is a footballer who plays for Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League. Born in DR Congo,he represented Belgium at youth international level. He spent most of his career in Belgium,with over 100 appearances in the Belgian top flight and has also played professionally in Morocco and Canada.
General elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 30 December 2018,to determine a successor to President Joseph Kabila,as well as for the 500 seats of the National Assembly and the 715 elected seats of the 26 provincial assemblies. Félix Tshisekedi (UDPS) won with 38.6% of the vote,defeating another opposition candidate,Martin Fayulu,and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary,backed by the ruling party PPRD. Fayulu alleged that the vote was rigged against him in a deal made by Tshisekedi and outgoing President Kabila,challenging the result in the DRC's Constitutional Court. Different election observers,including those from the country's Roman Catholic Church,also cast doubt on the official result. Nonetheless on 20 January the Court rejected his appeal and declared Tshisekedi as the winner. Parties supporting President Kabila won the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Félix Tshisekedi was sworn in as the 5th President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 24 January 2019,making it the first peaceful transition of power in the country since it became independent from Belgium in 1960.
The following lists events that happened during 2016 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The following lists events in the year 2017 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ève Bazaiba Masudi is a Congolese lawyer,politician,and human rights activist. As of May 2019,she served as the Secretary General of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) political party. She is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment since 2021.
Léonard She Okitundu Lundula is a Congolese diplomat who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and one of the Vice Prime Ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since December 2016 until March 2019. He has formerly held a number of other government offices in the DRC and Zaïre,being the Foreign Minister before (2000–2003),a Senator,and also chief of staff of President Joseph Kabila's administration.
Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo is a Congolese politician who has been the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 24 January 2019. He is the leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS),the DRC's oldest and largest party,succeeding his late father Étienne Tshisekedi in that role,a three-time Prime Minister of Zaire and opposition leader during the reign of Mobutu Sese Seko. Tshisekedi was the UDPS party's candidate for president in the December 2018 general election,which he was awarded,despite accusations of irregularities from several election monitoring organisations and other opposition parties. The Constitutional Court of the DRC upheld his victory after another opposition politician,Martin Fayulu,challenged the result,but Tshisekedi has been accused of making a deal with his predecessor,Joseph Kabila. The election marked the first peaceful transition of power since the state became independent from Belgium in 1960.
Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba is a Congolese politician who was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2019,formally establishing his government in August 2019. He has had a long political career going back to the 1970s,having held a number of ministerial cabinet posts,and was previously a professor at the University of Kinshasa since 1979. Ilunga has also been the secretary general of Congo's national railway company. He has a reputation as an experienced public servant and technocrat,as well as an ally of former President Joseph Kabila.
Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge is a Congolese politician from the former Katanga Province who has occupied the role of Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 15 February 2021. He was named the day of the 2021 Congo River disaster. He announced his cabinet on 12 April 2021. He is a member of the Future of Congo party.
Faustin Luanga is a Congolese politician and career diplomat who has been Ambassador-at-large for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 4 June 2021.
