Submit this form
Home News Videos Music Photos Facebook Twitter Friends Newsletter Podcasts Mobile RSS
DRC President Names First Post-War Prime Minister

VOA News - December 31, 2006

Bavier report - Download 175k audio clip
Listen to Bavier report audio clip

The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila has named life-long opposition leader Antoine Gizenga as the country's new prime minister in a presidential decree read on state-owned television late Saturday. Joe Bavier is in the capital, Kinshasa, and has more for VOA.

The selection of Antoine Gizenga as prime minister had been expected ever since Joseph Kabila was sworn in earlier this month (12/6/06) as the Congo's first democratically elected president in more than 40 years.

Mr. Gizenga - the 81-year-old leader of the Unified Lumumbist Party, known as PALU - finished third in the first round of presidential elections in July. Before the runoff election in October, he signed an agreement with Kabila's political coalition in which he promised his support in exchange for a guarantee that the eventual prime minister would emerge from his party.

Shortly after the presidential decree on Saturday, Godefroid Mayobo, Mr. Gizenga's spokesman, said that PALU was extremely happy with his selection.

Mr. Gizenga served as deputy to Patrice Lumumba, Congo's first prime minister following its independence from Belgium in June 1960.

Following a coup led by Mobutu Sese Seko, Gizenga headed a rebel government of Lumumba's supporters in Kisangani, in the country's northeast. But he was eventually arrested and then driven into exile for nearly three decades.

The newly named prime minister has not served in an official government post since 1960.

This year's elections in Congo were meant to draw a line under a 1998-2003 war blamed for the deaths of an estimated four million Congolese, most from starvation and disease.


Related articles


  1. Felix Tshisekedi Sworn In as DR Congo President (January 24, 2019)
  2. Constitutional Court Declares Tshisekedi Winner of Presidential Election (January 19, 2019)
  3. Felix Tshisekedi Vows to Be the President of All Congolese (January 10, 2019)
  4. Felix Tshisekedi Elected DR Congo President (January 10, 2019)
  5. DR Congo Delays Results of December Election (January 6, 2019)
  6. Botswana Urges Joseph Kabila to Step Down (February 26, 2018)
  7. No elections in DR Congo in December without electronic voting machines: INEC (February 13, 2018)
  8. US Warns DR Congo Against Electronic Voting for Delayed Election (February 12, 2018)
  9. Felix Tshisekedi accuses INEC of illegally prolonging Kabila's mandate (October 24, 2017)
  10. DRC Seeks Arrest of Presidential Candidate Moise Katumbi (May 19, 2016)
  11. Papa Wemba Is Buried in Kinshasa (May 4, 2016)
  12. Papa Wemba Awarded Highest National Honor as Thousands Pay Tribute (May 2, 2016)
  13. Rights Groups: DR Congo Must Free Pro-democracy Activists (April 13, 2015)
  14. Police Open Fire on Crowd Protesting Election Law Change (January 19, 2015)
  15. Etienne Tshisekedi Evacuated to Belgium for Medical Treatment (August 16, 2014)
  16. Kerry Calls on Kabila to Honor Constitution (May 4, 2014)
  17. Kerry in DR Congo for Security Talks (May 3, 2014)
  18. DR Congo Takes Chairmanship of COMESA at Summit in Kinshasa (February 26, 2014)
  19. DR Congo Honors Nelson Mandela, Hero and Model for Humanity (December 6, 2013)
  20. Kabila Congratulates Congo Army for Defeating M23 Rebels (October 30, 2013)
  21. DR Congo Eases Process for Starting a New Business (June 3, 2013)
  22. Regional Leaders Sign DR Congo Peace Deal (February 24, 2013)
  23. The M23 Rebels Want to Overthrow Kabila? Nonsense (November 28, 2012)
  24. Protests Against M23 Rebels, Government and UN Spread (November 22, 2012)
  25. Thousands Protest M23 Capture of Goma, Turn on Government and UN (November 21, 2012)
  26. DR Congo Officials Vow to Defend Goma Against M23 Rebels (November 19, 2012)
  27. At high-level meeting, Ban urges political solution to crisis in eastern DR Congo (September 27, 2012)
  28. US Cuts Military Aid to Rwanda Over Support to Rebels in DR Congo (July 21, 2012)
  29. DR Congo, Rwanda Sign Pact to Fight Rebels in Eastern Congo (July 15, 2012)
  30. Police Investigate Former Prime Minister for Corruption (May 14, 2012)


Live TV Congo Radio en ligne Radio
Available on App Store
Get it on Google Play



Contact Us | About Us | Édition en Français | French Edition

© CongoPlanet.com. All rights reserved.