Antoine Gizenga

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Antoine Gizenga
Antoine Gizenga

Incumbent
Assumed office 
30 December 2006
President Joseph Kabila
Preceded by Likulia Bolongo

Born 5 October 1925 (1925-10-05) (age 82)
Political party PALU

Antoine Gizenga (born 5 October 1925) is a Congolese (DRC) politician, and the Prime Minister of the country since December 30, 2006.[1]

Gizenga served as Deputy Prime Minister (1960, 196162), Prime Minister (1960-1961), and Head of State (1961) in rebellion. His government at Stanleyville was recognized by 21 African, Asian and Eastern European countries in February 1961. He was imprisoned from January 1962 to July 1964 and again from October 1964 to November 1965. He was exiled from 1965 to 1992.

Gizenga bases his platform and political policies on those of Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister at the time of independence[2] for whom he served as Deputy Prime Minister and after Lumumba's murder as head of the rebel government.[1] He was the presidential candidate of the Unified Lumumbist Party (Parti Lumumbiste Unifié (PALU)) in the July 2006 election.[2] According to the provisional election results of 20 August, Gizenga came in third place with 13.06 percent of the vote, after Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba.[3] On September 30, 2006, Gizenga signed a coalition agreement with the AMP, Kabila's platform, whereby he would back Kabila for the runoff of the October 2006 presidential election, in exchange for the premiership. Kabila won the election and was invested as president on December 6, 2006. He subsequently appointed Gizenga as Informant, a position that involves identifying a parliamentary majority so that a government can be formed,[4] and then appointed Gizenga as prime minister on December 30, 2006.[1] Gizenga's new government, with 59 members (excluding himself), was appointed and announced on February 5, 2007.[5] A new government under Gizenga was announced on November 25, 2007, with its size reduced to 44 ministers.[6]

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Political offices
Preceded by
Likulia Bolongo
Prime Minister of the Congo-Kinshasa
2006
Incumbent