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]
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Victor Lundula | Major GeneralNovember 1960 | 1961 | 0–1 years | Land Forces | . | |
2 | Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1930–1997) [a] | Lieutenant General1961 | October 1964 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | [3] | |
3 | Léonard Mulamba (1928–1986) [b] | Major GeneralOctober 1964 | 25 November 1965 | 1 year, 1 month | Land Forces | . | |
4 | Louis Bobozo (1915–1982) [c] | General25 November 1965 | 25 July 1972 | 6 years, 243 days | Land Forces | [6][7] |
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 | Bumba Moaso [d] | Brigadier General25 July 1972 | 1977 | 4–5 years | Land Forces | . | |
2 | Babia Zangi Malobia [e] | Général de corps d'arméeSeptember 1978 | 1981 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | . | |
3 | Mosambaye Singa Boyenge (1932–2001) | Général d'armée1981 | 1985 | 3–4 years | Land Forces | [9] | |
4 | Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | Général de Division1985 | October 1987 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | [9] | |
5 | Lomponda Wa Botembe (born 1936) | AdmiralOctober 1987 | 1989 | 1–2 years | Navy | . | |
6 | Mazembe ba Embanga | Général d'Armée1989 | 1991 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | . | |
7 | Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | Général1991 | February 1993 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | [10] | |
(4) | Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | GénéralFebruary 1993 | 20 November 1996 | 3 years, 9 months | Land Forces | . | |
(7) | Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | Général20 November 1996 | 16 May 1997 † | 177 days | Land Forces | . |
No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | James Kabarebe (born 1959) | General17 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 | Joseph Kabila (born 1971) [f] | Major General15 August 1998 | 1999 | 0–1 years | Land Forces | [13] | |
4 | Sylvestre Lwetcha (born ?) [g] | General1999 | 19 August 2003 | 4 years, 1 month | Land Forces | . | |
5 | Baudoin Liwanga Mata (born 1950) | Admiral19 August 2003 | 21 June 2004 | 307 days | Navy | . | |
6 | Kisempia Sungilanga (born ?) | Lieutenant General21 June 2004 | 12 June 2007 | 2 years, 356 days | Land Forces | [15][16] | |
7 | Dieudonné Kayembe (born 1945) | Lieutenant General12 June 2007 | 17 November 2008 | 1 year, 158 days | Land Forces | . | |
8 | Didier Etumba (born 1955) | Army General17 November 2008 | 14 July 2018 | 9 years, 239 days | Land Forces | [17] | |
9 | Célestin Mbala (born ?) | Lieutenant General14 July 2018 | 4 October 2022 | 4 years, 82 days | Land Forces | [18] | |
10 | Christian Tshiwewe Songesha (born ?) | Lieutenant General4 October 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year, 221 days | Land Forces | [19][20] |