Bruno Tshibala Nzenze (born 20 February 1956) is a Congolese politician who served as Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2017–2019.[1][2][3]
Bruno Tshibala | |
---|---|
25th Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
In office 18 May 2017 – 7 September 2019 | |
President | Joseph Kabila Félix Tshisekedi |
Deputy | Léonard She Okitundu |
Preceded by | Samy Badibanga |
Succeeded by | Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba |
Personal details | |
Born | Gandajika, Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 20 February 1956
Political party | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |
Alma mater | Marien Ngouabi University |
He finished primary and secondary education in Lubumbashi and studied law at the Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville.
He began his political career while still a student in April 1980 at the age of 24 when he joined a leftist political party in Zaire during the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko.[4] In December 1980, he, along with 13 parliamentarians wrote a letter to ask President Mobutu for democratic reforms while the country was still under the one-party system.
On 7 April 2017, then-President Joseph Kabila appointed him as Prime Minister during a nationwide televised address. He took office on 18 May 2017.[5][6]
In 2019, Tshibala made a bid to serve as a DRC Senator, but lost the Senate election on 15 March.[7]
On 9 October 2016, he was arrested at N'djili International Airport when he was about to board a plane to Brussels and was held at Makala Central Prison . The country's Attorney General accused him of organizing demonstrations on 19 and 20 September 2016 in Kinshasa. He was later granted a provisional release on 29 November 2016.[8]