Political Leaders: Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo
(Congo-Kinshasa)

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The site Rulers brings out comprehensive listings of the provincial leadership 1960-1966.

Republic of Congo
1960-1964 Democratic Republic of Congo
1964-1971 Republic of Zaire
1971-1997

Parties: ABAKO: Association of the Bakongo People; AFDL: Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of the Congo; BALUBAKAT: General Association of the Baluba People of Katanga; CONAKAT: Confederation of Tribal Associations of Katanga; MNC-Lumumba: Congolese National Movement, Lumumba faction; MNC-Kalonji: Congolese National Movement, Kalonji faction; MPR: Popular Movement of the Revolution; PALU: Lumumbist Unified Party; PPRD: People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy; RDR: Democratic Rally for the Republic; UDI: Union of Independent Democrats; UDPS: Democratic Union for the Social Progress; UFERI: Union of Independent Federalists and Republicans; n/p: non-party

Party memberships are courtesy of Bob Hilkens. Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Presidents of the Republic

Joseph Kasavubu         1 Jul 1960 - 25 Nov 1965 (+1969) ABAKO (1) 
Mobutu Sese Seko       25 Nov 1965 - 16 May 1997 (+1997) military/MPR (2) 
Laurent-Désiré Kabila  17 May 1997 - 16 Jan 2001 (+)a    AFDL (3) 
Joseph Kabila          17 Jan 2001 -                     AFDL, n/p, PPRD (acting to 26 Jan 2001)

(1) Styled head of State to 1 Aug 1964.
(2) Named Joseph-Désiré Mobutu to 10 Jan 1972. The military government ended on 10 Apr 1967 when the MPR was created as sole legal party.
(3) Styled head of State to 29 May 1997.

Heads of Government

Prime Ministers
Patrice Lumumba               24 Jun 1960 -  5 Sep 1960 (+1961)a MNC-Lumumba 
Joseph Iléo                   12 Sep 1960 - 27 Jul 1961 (+1994)  MNC-Kalonji (4)       
Antoine Gizenga               13 Dec 1960 -  5 Aug 1961          MNC-Lumumba (in rebellion)
Cyrille Adoula                 2 Aug 1961 - 30 Jun 1964 (+1978)  n/p   
Moïse-Kapenda Tshombé         10 Jul 1964 - 13 Oct 1965 (+1969)  CONAKAT
Évariste Kimba                18 Oct 1965 - 14 Nov 1965 (+1966)e BALUBAKAT
Léonard Mulamba               25 Nov 1965 - 26 Oct 1966 (+1986)  military

First state commissioners
Mpinga Kasenga                 6 Jul 1977 -  6 Mar 1979 (+1994)k MPR
Bo-Boliko Lokonga Mihambo      6 Mar 1979 - 27 Aug 1980          MPR
Jean Nguza Karl-I-Bond        27 Aug 1980 - 23 Apr 1981 (+2003)  MPR   
N'singa Udjuu Untube          23 Apr 1981 -  5 Nov 1982          MPR
Léon Kengo Wa Dondo            5 Nov 1982 - 31 Oct 1986          MPR
Mabi Mulumba                  22 Jan 1987 -  7 Mar 1988          MPR
Sambwa Pida Nbagui             7 Mar 1988 - 26 Nov 1988 (+1998)  MPR
Léon Kengo Wa Dondo           26 Nov 1988 -  4 May 1990          MPR 
Lunda Bululu                   4 May 1990 -  1 Apr 1991          MPR
Mulumba Lukoji                 1 Apr 1991 - 29 Sep 1991 (+1998)  MPR
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba 29 Sep 1991 -  1 Nov 1991          UDPS
Bernardin Mungul Diaka         1 Nov 1991 - 25 Nov 1991 (+1999)  RDR
Jean Nguza Karl-I-Bond        25 Nov 1991 - 15 Aug 1992 (+2003)  UFERI
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba 15 Aug 1992 - 18 Mar 1993          UDPS
Faustin Birindwa              18 Mar 1993 - 14 Jan 1994 (+1999)  UDPS
Léon Kengo Wa Dondo            6 Jul 1994 -  2 Apr 1997          UDI
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba  2 Apr 1997 -  9 Apr 1997          UDPS 
Likulia Bolongo                9 Apr 1997 - 16 May 1997          n/p

Prime minister
Antoine Gizenga               30 Dec 2006 - 10 Oct 2008          PALU
Adolphe Muzito                10 Oct 2008 -                      PALU

(4) Joseph Iléo was prime minister de facto as never was invested by the Parliament. After the first coup of Mobutu he was replaced on 20 Sep 1960 by a Board of Commissioners-General, the chairmae of which were to 3 Oct 1960 Albert Ndele and from 4 Oct 1960 to 9 Feb 1961 Justin Marie Bomboko. On 9 Feb 1961 Iléo was reappointed prime minister.

Ruler of Katanga, 1960-1963

Moïse-Kapenda Tshombé  16 Jun 1960 - 12 Jan 1963 (+1969) CONAKAT

Tshombé was president of the Provisional government from 11 Jul to 8 Aug 1960; then president of independent State of Katanga (proclaimed 11 Jul 1960).

Rulers of South Kasai ('E'tat Minier'), 1960-1961

Head of the Government
Joseph Ngalula   14 jun 1960 - 12 Apr 1961 MNC-Kalonji

President
Albert Kalonji    9 Aug 1960 - 12 Apr 1961 MNC-Kalonji 

Emperor (Mulopwe)
Albert I Kalonji 12 Apr 1961 - 30 Dec 1961

The province of South Kasai declared independence of Kasai (not of Congo) on 14 Jun 1960 and proclaimed the Federal State of South Kasai. On 8 Aug 1960 the autonomous 'E'tat Minier' du Sud Kasai was proclaimed.

Rulers of the People's Republic of Congo, 1964-1965 (in rebellion)

Gaston-Émile Sumayili Soumialot 21 jul 1964 - 07 sep 1964 (5) 
Christophe Gbenyé                7 Sep 1964 - 27 May 1965 (6) 
Gaston-Émile Sumayili Soumialot 27 May 1965 -  6 Aug 1965 (7)

(5) Self-styled head of the Provisional Government.
(6) Self-styled president of the Republic.
(7) Self-styled president of the Supreme Council of the Congolese Revolution.

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