Lieutenant General Christian Tshiwewe Songesha (born 1968) is a Congolese military officer who is the current Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Prior to his present position, he was the commander of the Republican Guard, an elite praetorian guard unit responsible for the security of the Head of State and other strategic security installations in the country. Tshiwewe replaced Lieutenant General Célestin Mbala, who was the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces from 14 July 2018 until 4 October 2022.[1][2]
Christian Tshiwewe Songesha | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 (age 55–56) Lubumbashi, Katanga Province, Congo-Leopoldville (present-day DR Congo) |
| Allegiance |  Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Years of service | 1998–present |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Republican Guard |
| Battles / wars | Second Congo War Kivu conflict M23 rebellion |
Biography
editHe was born in the city of Lubumbashi, in present-day Haut-Katanga Province, on 27 October 1968.[3] In 1998, following the ouster of Mobutu Sese Seko by Laurent Kabila, Christian Tshiwewe was among the first infantry officers sent to train in Sudan. He followed that with a staff command course referred to as "Mura", in Likasi, in the Haut-Katanga Province. He received anti-terrorism training in Angola, by Israeli instructors. He attended the Brigade Commander Course at the higher military center in Kinshasa and also studied at the College of Advanced Military Studies and Defense Strategies in Kinshasa.[1][3]
He served as commander of the 10th Mura Brigade, based in Kinshasa for the four years, starting in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed commander of the 13th Regiment of the Republican Guard, based in Lubumbashi, serving in that role for another four years. He then returned to Kinshasa and was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Republican Guard responsible for intelligence and operations. In 2020, he became the commander of the Republican Guard. President Félix Tshisekedi promoted him to the rank of Major General and then later to Lieutenant General.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Nancy Aheebwa (4 October 2022). "Gen Tshiwewe Songesha Appointed Congolese Army Commander". Commandonepost.com. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ Patrick Ilunga (4 October 2022). "Congo's Tshisekedi names new army chief in military reforms". The EastAfrican. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ a b Radio Okapi (4 October 2022). "DRC: Félix Tshisekedi appoints General Christian Tshiwewe Chief of General Staff of the FARDC" (Translated from the Original French language). Radio Okapi. Kinshasa, DRC. Retrieved 5 October 2022.