Judith Suminwa

Judith Suminwa Tuluka (born 19 October 1967) is a Congolese politician who is serving as prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 12 June 2024. She was nominated for the position by President Félix Tshisekedi on 1 April 2024, the first woman in the post,^[1][2][3] and took office following the investiture of her government by the National Assembly.^[4]

Judith Suminwa
Suminwa in 2023
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 June 2024
President	Félix Tshisekedi
Preceded by	Sama Lukonde
Minister of State Minister of Planning
In office 24 March 2023 – April 2024
Prime Minister	Sama Lukonde
Preceded by	Christian Mwando Nsimba [fr]
Succeeded by	Eustache Muhanzi (interim)
Personal details
Born	(1967-10-19) 19 October 1967 (age 57) Democratic Republic of the Congo
Political party	Union for Democracy and Social Progress
Spouse	Roger Tuluka
Education	Free University of Brussels

Early life and education

Suminwa hails from Kimpese in Kongo Central. Her father was formerly the Zairean ambassador to Chad.^[5]

Suminwa obtained a master's degree in applied economics at the Université libre de Bruxelles and a diploma of additional studies in Work in developing countries.^[6]

Career

She worked in the banking sector before joining United Nations agencies including the United Nations Development Programme where she was a national expert in a community support project in the east of the country. She then worked in the Ministry of the Budget before becoming the deputy coordinator of the Presidential Strategic Watch Council (CPVS).^[7]

She was appointed Minister of Planning in the government of Prime Minister Sama Lukonde on 24 March 2023.^[8] Suminwa's cabinet was formally unveiled on 29 May 2024.^[9]

Personal life

Suminwa is married to Roger Tuluka, who is a former classmate of President Tshisekedi. The couple began their relationship while they were in Belgium during the 1990s.^[5]

References

1. "Judith Suminwa Tuluka devient la première femme Première ministre de la RDC". lebaobab.net (in French). 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
2. "RDC : Judith Suminwa Tuluka nommée Première ministre". RTBF (in French). Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
3. "Congo Appoints Judith Tuluka Suminwa as New Prime Minister". Bloomberg.com. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
4. Muamba, Clément (12 June 2024). "RDC-Primature: Sama Lukonde passe officiellement le flambeau à Judith Suminwa". Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
5. Duhem, Vincent (8 April 2024). "DRC: 10 things to know about new PM Judith Suminwa Tuluka". The Africa Report. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
6. "Hon. Judith Suminwa Tuluka". EITI. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
7. "Judith Suminwa Tuluka profile: Former planning minister make history as DR Congo first female prime minister". BBC News Pidgin. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
8. "RDC-Sama Lukonde II : ce qu'il faut savoir de Judith Tuluka Suminwa, la nouvelle ministre d'Etat en charge du Plan". Actualite.cd (in French). 27 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
9. "DR Congo ends impasse to appoint new government". Al Jazeera. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

Political offices
Preceded by Sama Lukonde	Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2024–present	Incumbent