DRC Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde resigns after 3 years

On February 20, 2024, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, the prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), announced his resignation, triggering the dissolution of his government.

After his resignation, announced by President Félix Tshisekedi on Tuesday, Lukonde will not focus on his duties as a national deputy (Member of the National Assembly). He was validated as a national deputy eight days ago.

The National Assembly is the lower house and main legislative political body of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Former DRC PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Former DRC PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Pulse Live Kenya

It is one of the two legislative bodies along with the Senate. The National Assembly is composed of deputies who are elected by the citizens of the DRC.

Lukonde's resignation comes after the re-election of Tshisekedi in December 2023. Lukonde had been appointed during the Cabinet reshuffle in October 2021 to form the current government.

His resignation also comes at a time when the government faces mounting pressure to engage in dialogue with M23 rebels in the country's eastern region.

President Tshisekedi named a representative to identify a majority coalition within the National Assembly with a view to forming the next government.

Sama Lukonde's educational background is rooted in engineering, having studied at the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Appliquées (ISTA) in Kinshasa, where he focused on industrial engineering.

Before venturing into politics, Lukonde was involved in the sports sector, notably serving as the director general of the Gécamines football club.

His transition to politics was marked by his tenure as a member of the National Assembly, where he represented the Haut-Katanga Province.

DRC PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde DRC PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Pulse Live Kenya

In 2015, Sama Lukonde's political career took a significant turn when he was appointed as Minister of Sports and Leisure in the government of Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo.

Sama Lukonde's leadership qualities and political acumen led to his appointment as the CEO of Gécamines, one of the largest state-owned mining companies in the DRC until he was appointed prime minister in 2021.

The resignation of Sama Lukonde creates an opportunity for a new prime minister to be appointed and a new government to be formed.

The prime minister proposes the members of the government (ministers and vice-ministers) to the president, who then officially appoints them.

The prime minister and the government are responsible for implementing the policy defined by the president, coordinating government actions, and ensuring the execution of laws.