Clément Mouamba
Clément Mouamba | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 November 1943 Sibiti, Republic of the Congo |
| Died | 29 October 2021 (aged 77) Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, Statesman |
| Years active | 1992–2021 |
| Known for | Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (2016–2021); Minister of Finance (1992–1993) |
Clément Mouamba (13 November 1943 – 29 October 2021) was a prominent Congolese statesman who held the office of Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo between 2016 and 2021. Earlier in his career, he served as Minister of Finance from 1992 until 1993.
Political career
Originating from Sibiti, Mouamba was appointed Minister of Finance during President Pascal Lissouba’s administration from 1992 to 1993. As a key figure within the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), which was the ruling party under Lissouba, he transitioned into opposition following the civil conflict in 1997. In 1993, Mouamba was implicated in allegations concerning corruption linked to oil transactions with Occidental Petroleum; nevertheless, these accusations were dropped in 2001, although some other individuals were convicted without being present.
During UPADS’s extraordinary congress in 2006, Mouamba earned election as one of the party’s 25 vice-presidents. Prior to the constitutional referendum in 2015, he distanced himself from UPADS and took part in a government-supported dialogue that his former party opposed. This referendum allowed President Denis Sassou Nguesso to pursue an additional term in the subsequent 2016 election. Following Sassou Nguesso’s inauguration, Mouamba was appointed Prime Minister on 23 April 2016.
In the parliamentary elections held in July 2017, Mouamba stood unchallenged as the candidate representing the ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT) for Sibiti, succeeding Communications Minister Thierry Moungalla. After the PCT achieved a legislative majority, Mouamba and his cabinet resigned on 16 August but he was reinstated as Prime Minister on 21 August. The cabinet he presented on 22 August was marginally reduced in size and included minor adjustments.
In May 2021, Mouamba and his administration stepped down, with Anatole Collinet Makosso taking over as Prime Minister. Clément Mouamba passed away due to COVID-19 complications in Paris on 29 October 2021.