DR Congo Names First Female Prime Minister

Photo: Présidence RDC [via X]

The Facts

  • Former planning minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka on Monday was selected as the first female prime minister in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by Pres. Félix Tshisekedi.

  • This comes after former prime minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde resigned in February as legally required after he became a member of parliament.


The Spin

Narrative A

This appointment ushers in a new era in the governance of the DRC. With this decision, Tshisekedi has further demonstrated his commitment to gender equality and positive masculinity.

Narrative B

As he starts his second term in office, Tshisekedi is using the gender-equality agenda to divert public attention from his failure to make good on his promise to fight corruption and embezzlement. This appointment is merely a PR stunt.

Nerd narrative

There's a 50% chance that the Democratic Republic of the Congo will experience a successful coup d'etat before Jan. 1, 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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