Mboka Mwilambwe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mboka Mwilambwe
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Mboka Mwilambwe in 2023
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| Mayor of Bloomington, Illinois | |
| Assumed office May 1, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Tari Renner |
| Bloomington City Council | |
| In office 2011–2021 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970/1971 (age 54–55) Kinshasa, Zaire |
| Spouse | Stacey Mwilambwe |
| Education | B.S., M.S. Illinois State University |
Mboka Mwilambwe (born in 1970) is an American politician. He made history in 2021 when he became the first African American mayor of Bloomington, Illinois.
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About Mboka Mwilambwe
Mboka Mwilambwe was born in Kinshasa, Zaire (which is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). He grew up during a time when Mobutu Sese Seko was the leader. Mboka was one of seven children.
His father worked for Unicef, an organization that helps children around the world. Because of his father's job, Mboka lived in many different countries when he was young. He spent time in places like Senegal, Ivory Coast, and the Republic of the Congo.
Education and Early Career
In 1990, Mboka moved to central Illinois in the United States. He went to Illinois State University. There, he earned a degree in mathematics in 1994. He then got another degree in education in 1996.
After finishing school, he started working at Illinois State University. He helped make sure everyone had fair access to opportunities. In 2008, he officially became a citizen of the United States.
Joining the City Council
In 2011, Mboka began his journey in local government. The mayor at the time, Steve Stockton, chose him to fill an open spot on the Bloomington City Council. The City Council helps make decisions for the city.
Mboka was re-elected to the City Council two more times, in 2013 and 2017. He served on the council until 2021. From 2019, he also served as "mayor pro tem." This means he could act as mayor if the actual mayor was not available.
Becoming Mayor of Bloomington
In 2021, Mboka Mwilambwe decided to run for mayor of Bloomington. He ran against a few other candidates. On April 6, 2021, he won the election by a very small number of votes.
He took office on May 1, 2021. This was a big moment for Bloomington. Mboka became the city's first African American mayor since it was founded way back in 1830.
Mayor's Goals and Achievements
As mayor, Mboka Mwilambwe has several important goals. He wants to focus on improving the city's roads and buildings, which is called infrastructure. He also aims to make the city's finances more efficient. Another goal is to create an environment where people can discuss ideas in a respectful way.
Since becoming mayor, he has helped with several projects:
- He helped bring a new candy factory to Bloomington. This factory, owned by the Italian company Ferrero SpA, is expected to create 200 new jobs.
- He started a big project to expand the Bloomington Public Library.
- He helped get a new Aldi grocery store built on the west side of the city.
- He also helped build a new YMCA on the east side.
- He sped up work on the city's sewer system after a lot of rain caused problems.
In 2022, he combined the management of the Grossinger Motors Arena and the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. This was done to help save money. In 2023, he spoke to state lawmakers in Illinois. He asked them to increase the money the state shares with local cities. Later that year, Governor J. B. Pritzker asked Mboka to join the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board. This board helps improve jobs and training in Illinois.
In April 2024, Mboka Mwilambwe announced he is running for mayor again.
Mboka Mwilambwe's Personal Life
Mboka Mwilambwe is married to Stacey Mwilambwe. She also went to Illinois State University. Stacey is the director of University Housing Services at the university.
Mboka is able to speak several languages. He speaks French, English, Swahili, and Lingala.
