Samy Badibanga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samy Badibanga
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| Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| In office 17 November 2016 – 18 May 2017 |
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| President | Joseph Kabila |
| Preceded by | Augustin Matata Ponyo |
| Succeeded by | Bruno Tshibala |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 September 1962 Léopoldville, Congo-Léopoldville (now Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa) |
| Political party | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |
Samy Badibanga Ntita (born September 12, 1962) is a politician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He served as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a short time, from November 2016 to May 2017. He also ran to become president in the 2018 election in the DRC.
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Early Life and Learning
Samy Badibanga was born on September 12, 1962, in Kinshasa. At that time, Kinshasa was known as Léopoldville in the Republic of the Congo. He studied at the Higher Institute of Human Sciences in Geneva, Switzerland, and finished his studies there in 1986. After that, he went on to study about diamonds at the School of the High Council of the Diamond in Antwerp, Belgium. He also studied at the International Gemological Institute, also in Antwerp.
His Career Journey
Working in Business
Samy Badibanga started his career in 1986. He became a managing director, which means he was in charge of running a company called SOCODAM SPRL. Later, in 1995, he also became a director and managing director for another company, SAMEX TRADING SPRL.
From 2005 to 2010, he worked as a consultant for a large company called BHP Billiton. He helped this company start its operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He especially helped them work with public, or government-owned, businesses. In 2006, he created a group called the Federation of Explorers and Extractors (FEE) in the DRC. This group aimed to make sure that the country's natural resources, like minerals, were managed fairly and correctly. He also taught at meetings about the mining industry from 2005 to 2009.
Working in Politics
Samy Badibanga has been an important member of a political party called the Union for Democracy and Social Progress since 1994.
Before the presidential election in November 2011, Badibanga worked closely with a well-known opposition leader named Étienne Tshisekedi. In that same year, Badibanga was elected as a national deputy, which is like being a member of parliament. However, Tshisekedi claimed the election results were not fair. He told the newly elected members of their party, including Badibanga, not to take their seats in the National Assembly (the country's parliament). But Badibanga decided to take his seat anyway. He became the leader of his party's group in parliament, which caused a disagreement between him and Tshisekedi.
In October 2016, Badibanga took part in talks between the government and some opposition groups. These talks were about when the next election would happen. The agreement from these talks allowed the president at the time, Joseph Kabila, to stay in office longer than his term usually allowed. This was to give more time to organize the next election, which was moved to April 2018. The agreement also said that a leader from the opposition would become Prime Minister during this time.
On November 17, 2016, President Kabila chose Samy Badibanga to be the Prime Minister. Many people expected another opposition leader, Vital Kamerhe, to be chosen instead. Some parts of the opposition, especially those who supported Étienne Tshisekedi, did not agree with any deal that allowed Kabila to stay in power. Soon after Badibanga was appointed, he was accused of being a citizen of both Congo and Belgium. Being a dual citizen is not allowed for high-ranking officials in the DRC. On December 19, 2016, he officially formed his group of government ministers, known as his cabinet.
Badibanga resigned from his role as Prime Minister in April 2017. This happened after President Kabila announced that he planned to choose a new prime minister from the opposition. On April 7, Kabila appointed Bruno Tshibala as the new Prime Minister.
On July 27, 2019, Samy Badibanga was elected as the vice-president of the Senate, which is the upper house of the DRC's parliament.
Family Life
Samy Badibanga is the father of Béni Badibanga, who is a professional football player.
See also
- List of heads of government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
