# List of heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This is a list of European colonial administrators responsible for the territory of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

## International Association of the Congo

Prior to the creation of the Congo Free State, the International Association of the Congo (IAC) had signed treaties with over 300 native Congolese chiefs and in effect exercised sovereignty over a large area of the Congo Basin. The IAC was headquartered in Belgium and run by a committee under the presidency of Maximilien Strauch. Prior to the creation of the office of Administrator-General, authority on the ground in the Congo had been exercised by a Chief of Expedition, who until April 1884 was Henry Morton Stanley.
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Position | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Position | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Notes |
| | Francis de Winton (1835–1901) | Administrator-General | 22 April 1884 | 1 July 1885 | 1 year, 70 days | |

## Congo Free State
### Monarch (Sovereign of the Congo Free State)

| Portrait | Name | Position |
| Portrait | Name | Position | Reign start | Reign ended |
| | Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) | Sovereign | 1 July 1885 | 15 November 1908 |

### Administrators-General / Governors-General

For the list of the active colonial administrators that administered the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908, see the List of colonial governors of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo for further information.

## Belgian Congo

| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Position | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Position | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Notes |
| | Théophile Wahis (1844–1921) | Governor-General | 15 November 1908 | 20 May 1912 | 3 years, 187 days | |
| | Félix Fuchs (1858–1928) | Governor-General | 20 May 1912 | 5 January 1916 | 3 years, 230 days | |
| | Eugène Henry (1862–1930) | Governor-General | 5 January 1916 | 30 January 1921 | 5 years, 25 days | |
| | Maurice Lippens (1875–1956) | Governor-General | 30 January 1921 | 24 January 1923 | 1 year, 359 days | |
| | Martin Rutten (1876–1944) | Governor-General | 24 January 1923 | 27 December 1927 | 4 years, 337 days | |
| | Auguste Tilkens (1869–1949) | Governor-General | 27 December 1927 | 14 September 1934 | 6 years, 261 days | |
| | Pierre Ryckmans (1891–1959) | Governor-General | 14 September 1934 | 31 December 1946 | 12 years, 108 days | |
| | Eugène Jungers (1888–1958) | Governor-General | 31 December 1946 | 1 January 1952 | 5 years, 1 day | |
| | Léo Pétillon (1903–1996) | Governor-General | 1 January 1952 | 12 July 1958 | 6 years, 192 days | |
| | Hendrik Cornelis (1910–1999) | Governor-General | 12 July 1958 | 30 June 1960 | 1 year, 354 days | |
On 1 July 1960, the Belgian Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo (République du Congo).
This article lists the heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) since the country's independence in 1960.
The current head of state is President Félix Tshisekedi, since 24 January 2019.

## Heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960–present)

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
Republic of the Congo (1960–1964) :
| № | № | Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Political Party |
| Presidents ||||||||
| | 1 | Joseph Kasa-Vubu | 1910–1969 | 1 July 1960 | 1 August 1961 | ABAKO |
| | 2 | Antoine Gizenga | 1925–2019 | 1 August 1961 | 5 August 1961 | Parti Solidaire Africain (Gizenga faction) |
| | 3 | Joseph Kasa Vubu | 1910–1969 | 5 August 1961 | 1 August 1964 | Independent |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo (1964–1971) ||||||||
| Presidents ||||||||
| | (3) | Joseph Kasa-Vubu | 1910–1969 | 1 August 1964 | 24 November 1965 | ABAKO |
| | 4 | Joseph-Désiré Mobutu | 1930–1997 | 24 November 1965 | 27 October 1971 | Military / Popular Movement of the Revolution |
| Republic of Zaire (1971–1997) ||||||||
| President ||||||||
| | (4) | Mobutu Sese Seko | 1930–1997 | 27 October 1971 | 16 May 1997 | Popular Movement of the Revolution |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–present) ||||||||
| Presidents ||||||||
| | 5 | Laurent-Désiré Kabila | 1939–2001 | 17 May 1997 | 16 January 2001 (assassinated) | Independent |
| | 6 | Joseph Kabila | 1971– | 26 January 2001 Acting since 17 January 2001 | 24 January 2019 | Independent / People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy |
| | 7 | Félix Tshisekedi | 1963– | 24 January 2019 | Incumbent | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |

## The Vice-Presidents were

* Azarias Ruberwa (RCD): Policy, Defense and Security Commission. He represents one of the 2 major former rebel groups.
* Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma: Representing civil society
* Abdoulaye Yerodia Ndombasi (PPRD): Reconstruction and Development Commission. He represents the pre-peace agreement government.
* Jean-Pierre Bemba (MLC): Economic and Financial Commission. He represents one of the 2 major former rebel groups.
Under the 2006 constitution, which was promulgated in February 2006, the position of Vice-President becomes obsolete, after the inauguration of the first President of the DRC, elected democratically by direct universal suffrage. This inauguration occurred on December 6, 2006. Since then, the President of the Senate is designated to step in as interim president.

## president of the Senate

The president of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the presiding officer in the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Below is a list of office-holders:
| Name | Entered office | Left office |
| Joseph Iléo | June 1960 | September 1960 |
| Victor Koumorico | July 1961 | November 1962 |
| Isaac Kalonji | November 1962 | October 1965 |
| Sylvestre Mudingayi | October 1965 | 24 June 1967 |
| Senate abolished | 24 June 1967 | 7 April 2002 |
| Pierre Marini Bodho | 7 April 2002 | 11 May 2007 |
| Léon Kengo Wa Dondo | 11 May 2007 | 5 April 2019 |
| Léon Mamboleo | 5 April 2019 | 27 July 2019 |
| Alexis Thambwe Mwamba | 27 July 2019 | 5 February 2021 |
| Modeste Bahati Lukwebo | 2 March 2021 | |

## List of officeholders

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | President(s) (Term) | President(s) (Term) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | President(s) (Term) | President(s) (Term) |
| Republic of the Congo (1960–1971) ||||||||||
| 1 | | Patrice Lumumba (1925–1961) | 1960 | 24 June 1960 (appointed) | 5 September 1960 (dismissed) | 73 days | Mouvement National Congolais (Lumumba faction) | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 2 | | Joseph Iléo (1921–1994) | — | 5 September 1960 | 20 September 1960 | 15 days | Mouvement National Congolais (Kalonji faction) | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 3 | | Albert Ndele (1930–2023) | — | 20 September 1960 | 3 October 1960 | 13 days | Independent | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 4 | | Justin Bomboko (1928–2014) | — | 3 October 1960 | 9 February 1961 | 129 days | Independent | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| — | | Antoine Gizenga (1925–2019) (disputed) | — | 13 December 1960 | 5 August 1961 | 235 days | Parti Solidaire Africain (Gizenga faction) | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| (2) | | Joseph Iléo (1921–1994) | — | 9 February 1961 | 2 August 1961 | 174 days | Mouvement National Congolais (Kalonji faction) | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 5 | | Cyrille Adoula (1921–1978) | — | 2 August 1961 | 30 June 1964 | 2 years, 333 days | Mouvement National Congolais | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 6 | | Moïse Tshombe (1919–1969) | 1965 | 10 July 1964 | 13 October 1965 | 1 year, 95 days | CONACO | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 7 | | Évariste Kimba (1926–1966) | — | 13 October 1965 | 25 November 1965 | 43 days | CONAKAT | | Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1960–1965) |
| 8 | | Léonard Mulamba (1928–1986) | — | 25 November 1965 | 26 October 1966 | 335 days | Military | | Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1965–1997) |
| Post abolished (26 October 1966 – 27 October 1971) ||||||||||
| Republic of Zaire (1971–1997) ||||||||||
| Post abolished (27 October 1971 – 6 July 1977) ||||||||||
| 9 | | Mpinga Kasenda (1937–1994) | 1977 | 6 July 1977 | 6 March 1979 | 1 year, 243 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 10 | | Bo-Boliko Lokonga (1934–2018) | — | 6 March 1979 | 27 August 1980 | 1 year, 174 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 11 | | Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond (1938–2003) | — | 27 August 1980 | 18 April 1981 | 234 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 12 | | N'Singa Udjuu (1934–2021) | 1982 | 23 April 1981 | 5 November 1982 | 1 year, 196 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 13 | | Léon Kengo wa Dondo (born 1935) | — | 5 November 1982 | 31 October 1986 | 3 years, 360 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) ||||||||
| 14 | | Mabi Mulumba (born 1941) | 1987 | 22 January 1987 | 7 March 1988 | 1 year, 45 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 15 | | Sambwa Pida Nbagui (1940–1998) | — | 7 March 1988 | 26 November 1988 | 264 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| (13) | | Léon Kengo wa Dondo (born 1935) | — | 26 November 1988 | 4 May 1990 | 1 year, 159 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 16 | | Lunda Bululu (born 1942) | — | 4 May 1990 | 1 April 1991 | 332 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 17 | | Mulumba Lukoji (1943–1997) | — | 1 April 1991 | 29 September 1991 | 181 days | Popular Movement of the Revolution | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 18 | | Étienne Tshisekedi (1932–2017) | — | 29 September 1991 | 1 November 1991 | 33 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 19 | | Bernardin Mungul Diaka (1933–1999) | — | 1 November 1991 | 25 November 1991 | 24 days | Democratic Assembly for the Republic | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| (11) | | Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond (1938–2003) | — | 25 November 1991 | 15 August 1992 | 264 days | Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| (18) | | Étienne Tshisekedi (1932–2017) | — | 15 August 1992 | 18 March 1993 | 215 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 20 | | Faustin Birindwa (1943–1999) | — | 18 March 1993 | 14 January 1994 | 302 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| (13) | | Léon Kengo wa Dondo (born 1935) | — | 6 July 1994 | 2 April 1997 | 2 years, 270 days | Union of Independent Democrats | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| (18) | | Étienne Tshisekedi (1932–2017) | — | 2 April 1997 | 9 April 1997 | 7 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| 21 | | Likulia Bolongo (born 1939) | — | 9 April 1997 | 16 May 1997 | 37 days | Military | | Mobutu Sese Seko (1965–1997) |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–present) ||||||||||
| Post abolished (16 May 1997 – 30 December 2006) ||||||||||
| 22 | | Antoine Gizenga (1925–2019) | 2006 | 30 December 2006 | 10 October 2008 | 1 year, 285 days | Unified Lumumbist Party | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| 23 | | Adolphe Muzito (born 1957) | 2011 | 10 October 2008 | 6 March 2012 | 3 years, 148 days | Unified Lumumbist Party | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| — | | Louis Alphonse Koyagialo (1947–2014) Acting | — | 6 March 2012 | 18 April 2012 | 43 days | Unified Lumumbist Party | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| 24 | | Matata Ponyo Mapon (born 1964) | — | 18 April 2012 | 17 November 2016 | 4 years, 213 days | People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| 25 | | Samy Badibanga (born 1962) | — | 17 November 2016 | 18 May 2017 | 182 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| 26 | | Bruno Tshibala (born 1956) | — | 18 May 2017 | 7 September 2019 | 2 years, 112 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) |
| 26 | | Bruno Tshibala (born 1956) | 2018 | 18 May 2017 | 7 September 2019 | 2 years, 112 days | Union for Democracy and Social Progress | | Félix Tshisekedi (2019–present) |
| 27 | | Sylvestre Ilunga (born 1947) | — | 7 September 2019 | 27 April 2021 | 1 year, 232 days | People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy | | Félix Tshisekedi (2019–present) |
| 28 | | Sama Lukonde (born 1977) | — | 27 April 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 291 days | Future of Congo | | Félix Tshisekedi (2019–present) |
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | President(s) (Term) | President(s) (Term) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | President(s) (Term) | President(s) (Term) |
| | 26 | Vital Kamerhe | | 1955– | 7 April 2019 | 20 May 2019 | Independent |

### Congo

In 1960 the State of Katanga declared independence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. United Nations troops crushed it in Operation Grand Slam.