# Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This is a list of chiefs of staff of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zaire.
The available information on the following officers is incomplete and sometimes contradictory. In addition to armed forces chiefs of staff, in 1966 Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Malila was listed as Army Chief of Staff.

## Republic of the Congo (1960–71)

| No. | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
| 1 | Lundula, VictorMajor General Victor Lundula | November 1960 | 1961 | 0–1 years | Land Forces | . |
| 2 | Mobutu, Joseph-DésiréLieutenant General Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1930–1997) | 1961 | October 1964 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | |
| 3 | Mulamba, LéonardMajor General Léonard Mulamba (1928–1986) | October 1964 | 25 November 1965 | 1 year, 1 month | Land Forces | . |
| 4 | Bobozo, LouisGeneral Louis Bobozo (1915–1982) | 25 November 1965 | 25 July 1972 | 6 years, 243 days | Land Forces | |

## Republic of Zaire (1971–97)

Following Mobutu Sese Seko's take over of Republic of the Congo, the country was renamed the Republic of Zaire.
| No. | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
| 1 | Moaso, BumbaBrigadier General Bumba Moaso | 25 July 1972 | 1977 | 4–5 years | Land Forces | . |
| 2 | Malobia, Babia ZangiGénéral de corps d'armée Babia Zangi Malobia | September 1978 | 1981 | 2–3 years | Land Forces | . |
| 3 | Boyenge, Mosambaye SingaGénéral d'armée Mosambaye Singa Boyenge (1932–2001) | 1981 | 1985 | 3–4 years | Land Forces | |
| 4 | Aundu, Eluki MongaGénéral de Division Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | 1985 | October 1987 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | |
| 5 | Wa Botende, LompondaAdmiral Lomponda Wa Botende [fr] (born 1936) | October 1987 | 1989 | 1–2 years | Navy | . |
| 6 | ba Embanga, MazembeGénéral d'Armée Mazembe ba Embanga | 1989 | 1991 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | . |
| 7 | Bokungu, Donatien Mahele LiekoGénéral Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | 1991 | February 1993 | 1–2 years | Land Forces | |
| (4) | Aundu, Eluki MongaGénéral Eluki Monga Aundu (1941–2022) | February 1993 | 20 November 1996 | 3 years, 9 months | Land Forces | . |
| (7) | Bokungu, Donatien Mahele LiekoGénéral Donatien Mahele Lieko Bokungu (1941–1997) | 20 November 1996 | 16 May 1997 † | 177 days | Land Forces | . |

## Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–present)

| No. | Chief of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
| 1 | Kabarebe, JamesGeneral James Kabarebe (born 1959) | 17 May 1997 | 16 July 1998 | 1 year, 60 days | Land Forces | |
| 2 | Kifwa, CélestinCélestin Kifwa | 16 July 1998 | 15 August 1998 | 30 days | Land Forces | |
| 3 | Kabila, JosephMajor General Joseph Kabila (born 1971) | 15 August 1998 | 1999 | 0–1 years | Land Forces | |
| 4 | Lwetcha, SylvestreGeneral Sylvestre Lwetcha (born ?) | 1999 | 19 August 2003 | 4 years, 1 month | Land Forces | . |
| 5 | Liwanga, BaudouinGrand Admiral Baudouin Liwanga (born 1950) | 19 August 2003 | 21 June 2004 | 307 days | Navy | . |
| 6 | Sungilanga, KisempiaLieutenant General Kisempia Sungilanga (born ?) | 21 June 2004 | 12 June 2007 | 2 years, 356 days | Land Forces | |
| 7 | Kayembe, DieudonnéLieutenant General Dieudonné Kayembe (born 1945) | 12 June 2007 | 17 November 2008 | 1 year, 158 days | Land Forces | . |
| 8 | Etumba, DidierArmy General Didier Etumba (born 1955) | 17 November 2008 | 14 July 2018 | 9 years, 239 days | Land Forces | |
| 9 | Mbala, CélestinLieutenant General Célestin Mbala (born 1956) | 14 July 2018 | 4 October 2022 | 4 years, 82 days | Land Forces | |
| 10 | Tshiwewe, ChristianLieutenant General Christian Tshiwewe (born 1968) | 4 October 2022 | 19 December 2024 | 2 years, 76 days | Land Forces | |
| 11 | Banza Mwilambwe, JulesLieutenant General Jules Banza Mwilambwe (born 1971) | 19 December 2024 | Incumbent | 52 days | Land Forces | |