Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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| Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|
| Chef d'état-major des Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Reports to | Minister of Defence |
| Appointer | President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Formation | 30 June 1960 |
| First holder | Victor Lundula |
This is a list of Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zaire.
The available information on the following officers is incomplete and sometimes contradictory. In addition to armed forces chiefs of staff, in 1966 Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Malila was listed as Army Chief of Staff.[1]
Republic of the Congo (1960–71)
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Major General Victor Lundula | November 1960 | 1961 | 0–1 years |  Land Forces | . | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1930–1997) [a] | 1961 | October 1964 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | [3] | |
| 3 | Major General Léonard Mulamba (1928–1986) [b] | October 1964 | 25 November 1965 | 1 year, 1 month | Land Forces | . | |
| 4 | General Louis Bobozo (1915–1982) [c] | 25 November 1965 | 25 July 1972 | 6 years, 243 days | Land Forces | [6][7] |
Republic of Zaire (1971–97)
Following Mobutu Sese Seko's take over of Republic of the Congo, the country was renamed the Republic of Zaire.
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigadier General Bumba Moaso [d] | 25 July 1972 | 1977 | 4–5 years | Land Forces | . | |
| 2 | Général de corps d'armée Babia Zangi Malobia [e] | September 1978 | 1981 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | . | |
| 3 | Général d'armée Mosambaye Singa Boyenge (1932–2001) | 1981 | 1985 | 3–4 years | Land Forces | [9] | |
| 4 | Général de Division Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | 1985 | October 1987 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | [9] | |
| 5 | Admiral Lomponda Wa Botembe (born 1936) | October 1987 | 1989 | 1–2 years | Navy | . | |
| 6 | Général d'Armée Mazembe ba Embanga | 1989 | 1991 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | . | |
| 7 | Général Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | 1991 | February 1993 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | [10] | |
| (4) | Général Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | February 1993 | 20 November 1996 | 3 years, 9 months | Land Forces | . | |
| (7) | Général Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | 20 November 1996 | 16 May 1997 † | 177 days | Land Forces | . |
Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–present)
| No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General James Kabarebe (born 1959) | 17 May 1997 | 16 July 1998 | 1 year, 60 days | Land Forces | [11] | |
| 2 | Célestin Kifwa | 16 July 1998 | 15 August 1998 | 30 days | Land Forces | [11] | |
| 3 | Major General Joseph Kabila (born 1971) [f] | 15 August 1998 | 1999 | 0–1 years | Land Forces | [13] | |
| 4 | General Sylvestre Lwetcha (born ?) [g] | 1999 | 19 August 2003 | 4 years, 1 month | Land Forces | . | |
| 5 | Admiral Baudoin Liwanga Mata (born 1950) | 19 August 2003 | 21 June 2004 | 307 days | Navy | . | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Kisempia Sungilanga (born ?) | 21 June 2004 | 12 June 2007 | 2 years, 356 days | Land Forces | [15][16] | |
| 7 | Lieutenant General Dieudonné Kayembe (born 1945) | 12 June 2007 | 17 November 2008 | 1 year, 158 days | Land Forces | . | |
| 8 | Army General Didier Etumba (born 1955) | 17 November 2008 | 14 July 2018 | 9 years, 239 days | Land Forces | [17] | |
| 9 | Lieutenant General Célestin Mbala (born ?) | 14 July 2018 | 4 October 2022 | 4 years, 82 days | Land Forces | [18] | |
| 10 | Lieutenant General Christian Tshiwewe Songesha (born ?) | 4 October 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year, 206 days | Land Forces | [19][20] |
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Notes
- ^ Promoted major-general 23 January 1961.[2]
- ^ Chief of Staff since October 1964, until named Prime Minister after coup of 25 November 1965.[4]
- ^ Commandant en chef de l'Armée nationale congolaise. Bobozo was a Major General in 1965 and appears to have been a full General by 1972. Entered the Force Publique on 23 June 1933; after training, joined 3rd Company, 14th Battalion Service Territoriale at Lisala 3 September 1935; promoted Corporal 1 May 1938; promoted Sergeant 19 April 1940, took part in Abyssian Campaign; 1st Sergeant 1947; First Sergeant-Major 1 January 1951. Despatched to Adjutants' School for the Force Publique at Luluabourg, 5 September 1959. Part of 4 Brigade, Thysville, 1960, and became commander of the brigade after 30 June 1960. Promoted in 1961 to Colonel. Tasked with organising units for operations in Katanga; became commander of 4th Groupement, Elisabethville, 1964 and promoted to Major-General.[5] Became C.-in-C. 25 November 1965; retired 25 July 1972.
- ^ former commander of the Airborne Division (DITRAC: Division de Troupes Aeromobiles Reinforcee de Choc). From Equateur; Crawford and Young describe him as 'illiterate, but a forceful personality.'[8] One of a number of military leaders who entered the Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR) Political Bureau in 1975, when the MPR was merged with the state, and in 1975 became one of the eight permanent members of the Political Bureau. Captain General of the Forces Armées Zaïroises.
- ^ Former Director-General of the Defence Ministry, and graduate of the Belgian defence academy.[8]
- ^ Took control of the army after Celestin Kifwa was removed as Chief of Staff by Laurent-Desire Kabila.[12]
- ^ Reappointed 8 March 2001 in accordance with Decree 010/2001.[14]
References
- ^ Miami News, 18 June 1966 and Sydney Taylor (ed), The New Africans: A Guide to the Contemporary History of Emergent Africa and its Leaders, Paul Hamlin, London/Reuters, 1967, p.95, 102
- ^ Ludo de Witte, 'The Assassination of Lumumba,' Verso, 2001, 127.
- ^ Le 3 novembre 1965, il est nommé au grade de Lieutenant-général de l'Armée Nationale Congolaise.' http://www.congolite.ca/biographiemobutu.htm. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
- ^ Sydney Taylor, The New Africans, 1967, p.102
- ^ Editions Service d'Education d'Information, 'L'Armée nationale congolaise 1960-1970,' Etat-Major General de l'ANC, November 1970, via Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.
- ^ Le Potential, 24 novembre 1965 : le communiqué du coup d'Etat du Lieutenant-général Mobutu. Bobozo was made C-in-C under Mobutu when Mobutu seized power, and it was stated initially that he would act as C-in-C 'while Mobutu was acting as President of the Republic.'
- ^ Colonel S.C. Davis, British Military Attache Kinshasa, Report on the Zairean Armed Forces for the Period Apr 1971 – Apr 1972, DA/KIN/76, 5 May 1972, FCO 31/1170, accessed at Public Record Office, Kew
- ^ a b M. Crawford Young and Thomas Turner, The Rise and Decline of the Zairian State, 1985, ISBN 0-299-10110-X, p.265
- ^ a b Nziem, Isidore Ndaywel è. (1998). Histoire générale du Congo: De l'héritage ancien à la république démocratique. Duculot. ISBN 9782801111741.
- ^ Canadian Government Immigration Review Board, Issue Paper: Zaire: The Balance of Power in the Regions Archived 2005-11-26 at the Wayback Machine, April 1997
- ^ a b http://www.congoned.dds.nl, Congo developments XXIV Chronicle: 1 June – 26 August 1998
- ^ POLITICS-D.R.CONGO: Rebels Control Power, Kabila Flees Capital
- ^ Les chefs d’état-major général successifs de la RDC depuis 1960
- ^ Decree 010/2001, Portant Nomination du Chef d'etat-major inter-armées et du chef d'etat-major Q.G. Also Gerard Prunier, 'From Genocide to Continental War: the 'Congolese' Conflict and the Crisis of Contemporary Africa,' Hurst & Co., London, 2009, ISBN 978-1-85065-523-7, p.263 (see also p.230; there is also a confusing reference to General Lwetcha being made FAC chief of staff in September 1999).
- ^ "PANAPRESS - PANAFRICAN News Agency - Official Web Site". 3 August 2023.
- ^ [1] République Démocratique du Congo : L'armée doit arrêter l'utilisation d'enfants soldats, Bruxelles, 19 avril 2007, Human Rights Watch
- ^ Xinhua, [2]. See also U.S. State Department cable on his appointment: http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/11/08KINSHASA1025.html
- ^ Fardc: Joseph Kabila names Lieutenant-General Celestin Mbala Munsense General Staff Archived 20 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Digitalcongo.net, 16 July 2018.
- ^ Nancy Aheebwa (4 October 2022). "Gen Tshiwewe Songesha Appointed Congolese Army Commander". Commandonepost.com. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ Patrick Ilunga (4 October 2022). "Congo's Tshisekedi names new army chief in military reforms". The EastAfrican. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 5 October 2022.