Kasongo Ilunga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andre Kasongo Ilunga
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| Minister of Foreign Trade | |
| In office 5 February 2007 – 28 May 2007 |
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| Preceded by | None |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 October 1972 Bukama, Democratic Republic of Congo |
| Political party | UNAFEC |
| Occupation | Vice-president of UNAFEC |
| As this politician is not confirmed to actually exist, many of the above are disputed. | |
Andre Kasongo Ilunga (born October 20, 1972, according to records) was a person who was supposed to be a government official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2007. He was named the Minister for Foreign Trade. This means he would have been in charge of how the country traded goods with other countries.
However, there were many questions about whether Andre Kasongo Ilunga was a real person. He was chosen for the role by the Prime Minister, Antoine Gizenga. But Andre Kasongo Ilunga never showed up to take his position. Because of this, many people, including the media, believe he was not a real person. They think he might have been made up by Kisimba Ngoy, who was the leader of the UNAFEC political party. It is thought this was a way for Kisimba Ngoy to try and get the important government job for himself.
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How Government Roles Are Chosen
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are rules for choosing government ministers. A political party must suggest at least two people for a job. The Prime Minister then picks one person from that list.
The Candidates for Foreign Trade
For the Foreign Trade job, only two names were suggested: Andre Kasongo Ilunga and Kisimba Ngoy. Kisimba Ngoy himself created this list. However, Kisimba Ngoy had supported a past leader named Mobutu Sese Seko. Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga had strongly disagreed with Mobutu Sese Seko. This might be why the Prime Minister chose the unknown Andre Kasongo Ilunga instead of Kisimba Ngoy.
Explaining the Absence
Kisimba Ngoy said that Andre Kasongo Ilunga later decided not to take the job for personal reasons. He claimed that Ilunga sent a letter to the Prime Minister to resign. But Prime Minister Gizenga said he would only accept the resignation if Ilunga resigned in person. Since Ilunga never appeared, the resignation was not accepted.
The Search for Andre Kasongo Ilunga
The name Andre Kasongo Ilunga is quite common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because of this, at least three different people came forward claiming to be him. However, all of these people were found to be fakes. They did not have the correct background or history to be the real Andre Kasongo Ilunga.
Impact on the Government
This event caused problems for the new government. It was the first government to be chosen by the people in over 40 years. The situation made the government look bad. As a result, Kisimba Ngoy was removed from his position in the UNAFEC party. A new leader for the party was quickly chosen.
