Acacia Bandubola Mbongo

Acacia Bandubola Mbongo
Acacia Bandubola Mbongo
Born	Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Alma mater	Lycée Molière; (State School Diploma); Protestant University in Congo; (Bachelor of Business Administration)
Occupation(s)	Businesswoman, politician
Years active	2003–present
Known for	Politics
Title	Former Cabinet Minister of Economy in the Cabinet of DR Congo

Acacia Bandubola Mbongo, (née Acacia Bandubola), is a Congolese businesswoman and politician, who served as the Minister of the National Economy in the Cabinet of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 26 August 2019, until March 2023.^[1]

Background and education

Bandubola was born in the city of Kisangani, to Henriette Mbokoso Bokwetenge and Raphael Bandubola. She attended CS Okapi, a private school in Kisangani, where her parents lived at the time. In 1994, Acacia Bandubola relocated to Kinshasa, the capital and largest city in the country. She continued her studies at Lycée Bosangani from 1994 until 1999. In 2000, she graduated with a State School Diploma from Lycée Molière. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Protestant University in the Congo.^[2]

Career

In business

Bandubola has worked for Ecobank, FINCA, Banque Internationale pour l'Afrique au Congo (BIAC), and Vodacom. She also worked at a private economic consultancy firm in France.^[2]

In politics

Bandubola began her political activism as a student, in opposition to the oppressive policies of Mobutu Sese Seko. She belonged and supported several political parties while in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including Envol and RNS.^[2]

While working in France, she was introduced to the ideology of Étienne Tshisekedi and joined the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (UDPS) political party. She became a vocal supporter of UDPS on many media outlets (radio and television) in the West. In the cabinet announced on 29 August 2019, she was appointed as the Minister of National Economy, replacing Joseph Kapika, who served in that position from April 2017, until August 2019.^[1]^[2]

As minister, she condemns the practice of some businesses in the DRC, raising prices of staple consumables, including corn flour, sugar and rice, due to the Coronavirus scare. She recommends that government, businesses and the public should work together to maintain price stability during the pandemic. Short of that, she recommends that government should fix commodity prices, when businesses engage in price gouging.^[3]

Family

Acacia Bandubola Mbongo is a married mother.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Government of DR Congo (5 September 2019). "Announcement of The New Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo" (Translated from the original French Language). Embassy of DR Congo to the United States. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e 7sur7.cd (6 September 2019). "DRC: Here is the portrait of the new Minister of the Economy Acacia Bandubola Mbongo" (Translated from the original French Language). Kinshasa: 7sur7.cd. Retrieved 21 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Actualite.cd (20 March 2020). "Acacia Bandubola writes to Jacques Kyabula: "In the event of a breakdown in the market balance which leads to an excessive rise in prices, the government fixes prices"" (Translated from the original French Language). Kinshasa: Actualite.cd. Retrieved 21 March 2020.

External links

DRC: Minister of Economy files complaint against Internet users for “attack” on her honor (Translated from the original French Language) As of 11 March 2020.

[1R-1] Government of DR Congo (5 September 2019). "Announcement of The New Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo" (Translated from the original French Language). Embassy of DR Congo to the United States. Retrieved 21 March 2020.

[2R-2] 7sur7.cd (6 September 2019). "DRC: Here is the portrait of the new Minister of the Economy Acacia Bandubola Mbongo" (Translated from the original French Language). Kinshasa: 7sur7.cd. Retrieved 21 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3R-3] Actualite.cd (20 March 2020). "Acacia Bandubola writes to Jacques Kyabula: "In the event of a breakdown in the market balance which leads to an excessive rise in prices, the government fixes prices"" (Translated from the original French Language). Kinshasa: Actualite.cd. Retrieved 21 March 2020.

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