The Democratic Republic of Congo has appointed Judith Suminwa Tuluka as the country’s Prime Minister. President Felix Tshisekedi on April 1 appointed her as country’s first female Prime Minister, fulfilling a campaign promise. She is succeeding ex-PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde. Earlier, in 2023, Tuluka was selected as the Planning Minister, making her the third woman in Lukonde’s cabinet.
The announcement came a month after Lukonde resigned from the prime ministerial post after serving the office for three years. The new Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa Tuluka, has promised to work towards peace and development in her first speech.
On December 20, 2023, Tshisekedi witnessed a huge victory in the general elections after he pledged to take important steps towards the formation of a “new and programmatic” government. The appointment of Tuluka came as the country struggles with worsening violence. However, forming a new government could take months due to the need for intensive negotiations with various political parties.
Know the Prime Minister
Before entering the DRC parliament, Tuluka was an economist with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She has worked as the coordinator for the Consolidation of Peace and Strengthening of Democracy pillar in Congo’s national capital Kinshasa. She also served as the deputy coordinator of the Presidential Strategic Monitoring Council (CPVS), whose main mission is to monitor and evaluate the commitments made by the DRC President. Tuluka holds a Master’s degree in applied economics and a diploma of additional studies in Work in developing countries.