President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The **President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo** (, , ), is the head of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The constitutional mandate of the current president, Joseph Kabila, was due to expire on 20 December 2016 but was extended by him until the end of 2017. He was replaced by Félix Tshisekedi in 2019.

**Article 72** of the Congolese constitution states that the President must be a natural-born citizen – or more accurately:  – of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and at least 30 years of age. Additionally, the President must be free of any legal constraints on their civil and political rights.

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

(Dates in italics indicate _de facto_ continuation of office)

|colspan=9|===Republic of the Congo (1960–1964)===|||||||||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|colspan="9" bgcolor="lightgrey" align=center|**Presidents**|||||||||||||
|align=center|Joseph Kasa-Vubu|align=center||align=center|1890–1969|align=center|—|align=center|1 July 1960|align=center|_1 August 1964_|align=center|ABAKO|
|align=center|Antoine Gizenga __|align=center||align=center|1916–2019|align=center|—|align=center|31 March 1961|align=center|5 August 1961|align=center|Parti Solidaire Africain __|
|colspan="9" bgcolor="lightgrey" align=center|**Presidents**|||||||||||||
|align=center|Joseph Kasa-Vubu|align=center||align=center|1890–1969|align=center|—|align=center|_1 August 1964_|align=center|24 November 1965|align=center|ABAKO|
|align=center|Joseph-Désiré Mobutu|align=center||align=center|1917–1997|align=center|1970|align=center|24 November 1965|align=center|_27 October 1971_|align=center|Military / Popular Movement of the Revolution|
|colspan="9" bgcolor="lightgrey" align=center|**President**|||||||||||||
|align=center|Mobutu Sese Seko|align=center||align=center|19317–1997|align=center|1977 1984|align=center|_27 October 1971_|align=center|16 May 1997|align=center|Popular Movement of the Revolution|
|colspan="9" bgcolor="lightgrey" align=center|**Presidents**|||||||||||||
|align=center|Laurent-Désiré Kabila|align=center||align=center|1927–2001|align=center|—|align=center|17 May 1997|align=center|16 January 2001 __|align=center|Independent|
|align=center|Joseph Kabila|align=center||align=center|1960–|align=center|2006 2011|align=center|26 January 2001|align=center|24 January 2019|align=center|Independent / People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy|
|align=center|Félix Tshisekedi|align=center||align=center|1954–|align=center|2018|align=center|24 January 2019|align=center|Incumbent|align=center|Union for Democracy and Social Progress|

## Infobox (political post)

- **post**: President
- **body**: the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- **flagsize**: 110px
- **flagcaption**: Presidential Seal
- **insignia**: File:Flag of the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg
- **insigniasize**: 120px
- **insigniacaption**: Presidential Standard
- **image**: Félix Tshisekedi - 2019 (cropped).jpg
- **incumbent**: Félix Tshisekedi
- **incumbentsince**: 25 January 2019
- **residence**: Palais de la Nation (Kinshasa), Palais de la Nation, Kinshasa
- **termlength**: 5 years, renewable once
- **formation**: 30 June 1960
- **inaugural**: Joseph Kasa-Vubu, Joseph Kasavubu
- **salary**: 51,500 USD annually
- **website**: [https://presidence.cd Official website of the President of the DRC]