Vital Kamerhe

His Excellency
Vital Kamerhe
Kamerhe in 2010
President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 24, 2024
Preceded byChristophe Mboso
In office
December 29, 2006 – March 26, 2009
Preceded byThomas Luhaka
Succeeded byEvariste Boshab
Member of the National Assembly
from Bukavu
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 12, 2024
In office
December 29, 2006 – March 26, 2009
Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy
Acting (February 20 2024)
Assumed office
March 23, 2023
Personal details
Born (1959-03-04) 4 March 1959 (age 65)
Bukavu, Belgian Congo
Political partyUnion for the Congolese Nation
SpouseAmida Shatur
ResidenceDemocratic Republic of Congo
Websitehttp://www.vital-kamerhe.com/

Vital Kamerhe Lwa Kanyiginyi Nkingi (born 4 March 1959) is a Congolese politician, currently serving as Deputy Prime Minister of Economy and the leader of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) party. He served as the President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2006 to 2009. After resigning from that office, he went into the opposition and founded the UNC. He ran in the 2011 presidential election. He supported Félix Tshisekedi as a coalition partner in the 2018 presidential election, and became chief of staff when Tshisekedi took office.[1]

In 2020, Kamerhe was charged with and convicted of embezzlement of US$50 million.[2][3][4][5] The Congo Research Group described his arrest as unprecedented in recent DRC history.[6][7] Kamerhe was temporarily replaced as chief of staff when his trial began,[8] and permanently replaced half a year after he was convicted.[9] Kamerhe appealed his conviction, and a second appeal led to his acquittal in 2022.[10][11] In 2023, he rejoined the government as Félix Tshisekedi's deputy prime minister in charge of the economy.[3]

  1. ^ Alfa Shaban, Abdur Rahman (29 January 2019). "DRC president Tshisekedi names coalition ally as Chief of Staff". Africanews. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference africanews2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference africanews3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Taarifa-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference France24-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Top DR Congo presidential aide Kamerhe goes on trial for corruption". France 24. 11 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Note d'analyse – Affaire Kamerhe : opacité, quand tu nous tiens". Congo Research Group (in French). 7 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Congo president replaces chief of staff amid graft trial". Reuters. 12 May 2020.
  9. ^ Lawal, Olorunwa (26 January 2021). "DR Congo Replaces Jailed Chief of Staff with Guylain Nyembo". News Central TV.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference africanews4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference africareport2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).