Ambroise Noumazalaye
Encyclopedia
Ambroise Édouard Noumazalaye (September 23, 1933 – November 17, 2007) was a Congolese
politician who was Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo from 1966 to 1968, under President Alphonse Massamba-Débat. Later in life he served as Secretary-General of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT) and was a supporter of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
. He served as President of the Senate
from 2002 to 2007.
. At the constitutive congress of the National Movement of the Revolution
(MNR) on June 29–July 2, 1964, he was elected as the party's First Secretary-General. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba
in April 1966, Noumazalaye was appointed as his successor, at the head of a government approved by the MNR on April 19 and announced on May 6, in which Noumazalaye also served as Minister of Planning. He served as Prime Minister until January 12, 1968, when President Massamba-Débat decided that it was unnecessary to have a Prime Minister and that he would assume the duties of the office himself.
Later in 1968, Noumazalaye was a member of the National Council of the Revolution (CNR) as Secretary in charge of organization, but he was excluded from the CNR in December 1968. He joined the Political Bureau of the ruling PCT when it was expanded from eight to ten members at the party's extraordinary congress held on March 30–April 1, 1970. At an extraordinary session of the PCT Central Committee held on December 27–December 31, 1971, he was retained as a member of the Political Bureau, in charge of the Plan, when it was reduced to five members.
Following a failed coup against President Marien Ngouabi
on February 22, 1972, Noumazalaye was one of those arrested; he was sentenced to death along with 12 others on March 25, 1972, but Ngouabi commuted the death sentences to life in prison on the same day.
Later, under Sassou Nguesso's presidency, Noumazalaye was elected to the Central Committee of the PCT in 1984 and also became Minister of Industry and Crafts in August 1984. He was elected as Secretary-General of the PCT at its Fourth Extraordinary Congress on December 4–7, 1990. Following the first round of the 1992 presidential election
, Noumazalaye, representing the PCT, signed an agreement with Pan-African Union for Social Democracy
(UPADS) Secretary-General Christophe Moukouéké and National Alliance for Democracy (AND) National Coordinator Stéphane Maurice Bongho-Nouarra
on August 11, 1992. This agreement provided for an alliance between the PCT and UPADS, for the PCT to participate in the second round campaign of UPADS candidate Pascal Lissouba, and for the PCT to receive posts in a future government under Lissouba. However, following Lissouba's victory, the PCT went into opposition after receiving a smaller than expected number of ministerial posts. Under Lissouba's presidency, from 1992 to 1997, Noumazalaye was Secretary-General of the opposition United Democratic Forces (FDU) coalition, which supported Sassou Nguesso.
After Sassou Nguesso returned to power in 1997, Noumazalaye was elected as a Senator from Likouala Region
in 2002, and when the Senate opened on August 10, 2002, Noumazalaye was elected as its President. He served in that position until his death five years later. He was re-elected as Secretary-General of the PCT at its Fifth Extraordinary Congress in December 2006, and he also served as Interim President of the FDU coalition around the same time. On April 24, 2007, he signed an agreement on behalf of the PCT with the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
(MCDDI), led by Bernard Kolélas
, in which the two parties formed an alliance for future elections.
Noumazalaye died in November 2007 in Paris. Following his death, an official three-day mourning period was declared for Noumazalaye, beginning on November 22, 2007. His body was returned to Congo on November 23, and it was interred in the Marien Ngouabi Mausoleum on November 24.
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
politician who was Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo from 1966 to 1968, under President Alphonse Massamba-Débat. Later in life he served as Secretary-General of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT) and was a supporter of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...
. He served as President of the Senate
Senate of the Republic of the Congo
The Parliament of the Republic of Congo has two chambers. The Senate is the upper house. It has 72 members , elected for a six year term by district, local and regional councils. Prior to the 2008 Senate election, it had 66 members; it was expanded to 72 members at that time to account for the...
from 2002 to 2007.
Political career
Noumazalaye was born in BrazzavilleBrazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. At the constitutive congress of the National Movement of the Revolution
National Movement of the Revolution
The National Movement of the Revolution was a political party in the Republic of the Congo. MNR was founded at a congress held June 29 to July 6, 1964. MNR was instituted as the sole legal political party in the country on July 20, 1964, according to the Law No. 25-65. Pre-existing political...
(MNR) on June 29–July 2, 1964, he was elected as the party's First Secretary-General. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....
in April 1966, Noumazalaye was appointed as his successor, at the head of a government approved by the MNR on April 19 and announced on May 6, in which Noumazalaye also served as Minister of Planning. He served as Prime Minister until January 12, 1968, when President Massamba-Débat decided that it was unnecessary to have a Prime Minister and that he would assume the duties of the office himself.
Later in 1968, Noumazalaye was a member of the National Council of the Revolution (CNR) as Secretary in charge of organization, but he was excluded from the CNR in December 1968. He joined the Political Bureau of the ruling PCT when it was expanded from eight to ten members at the party's extraordinary congress held on March 30–April 1, 1970. At an extraordinary session of the PCT Central Committee held on December 27–December 31, 1971, he was retained as a member of the Political Bureau, in charge of the Plan, when it was reduced to five members.
Following a failed coup against President Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi was the military President of the Republic of the Congo from January 1, 1969 to March 18, 1977.-Origins:...
on February 22, 1972, Noumazalaye was one of those arrested; he was sentenced to death along with 12 others on March 25, 1972, but Ngouabi commuted the death sentences to life in prison on the same day.
Later, under Sassou Nguesso's presidency, Noumazalaye was elected to the Central Committee of the PCT in 1984 and also became Minister of Industry and Crafts in August 1984. He was elected as Secretary-General of the PCT at its Fourth Extraordinary Congress on December 4–7, 1990. Following the first round of the 1992 presidential election
Republic of the Congo presidential election, 1992
Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo in August 1992, marking the end of the transitional period that began with the February–June 1991 National Conference...
, Noumazalaye, representing the PCT, signed an agreement with Pan-African Union for Social Democracy
Pan-African Union for Social Democracy
The Pan-African Union for Social Democracy is a political party in the Republic of the Congo, led by former president Pascal Lissouba....
(UPADS) Secretary-General Christophe Moukouéké and National Alliance for Democracy (AND) National Coordinator Stéphane Maurice Bongho-Nouarra
Stéphane Maurice Bongho-Nouarra
Stéphane Maurice Bongho-Nouarra was a Congolese politician. He served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville during the late 1960s, and after a long period in exile, he returned and played an important role in the politics of the 1990s...
on August 11, 1992. This agreement provided for an alliance between the PCT and UPADS, for the PCT to participate in the second round campaign of UPADS candidate Pascal Lissouba, and for the PCT to receive posts in a future government under Lissouba. However, following Lissouba's victory, the PCT went into opposition after receiving a smaller than expected number of ministerial posts. Under Lissouba's presidency, from 1992 to 1997, Noumazalaye was Secretary-General of the opposition United Democratic Forces (FDU) coalition, which supported Sassou Nguesso.
After Sassou Nguesso returned to power in 1997, Noumazalaye was elected as a Senator from Likouala Region
Likouala Region
Likouala is a department of the Republic of the Congo in the northern part of the country. It borders the departments of Cuvette and Sangha, and internationally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. The region has an area of 66,044 km² and an estimated...
in 2002, and when the Senate opened on August 10, 2002, Noumazalaye was elected as its President. He served in that position until his death five years later. He was re-elected as Secretary-General of the PCT at its Fifth Extraordinary Congress in December 2006, and he also served as Interim President of the FDU coalition around the same time. On April 24, 2007, he signed an agreement on behalf of the PCT with the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
The Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development is a political party in the Republic of the Congo, led by Bernard Kolélas....
(MCDDI), led by Bernard Kolélas
Bernard Kolélas
Bernard Bakana Kolélas was a Congolese politician and President of the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development...
, in which the two parties formed an alliance for future elections.
Noumazalaye died in November 2007 in Paris. Following his death, an official three-day mourning period was declared for Noumazalaye, beginning on November 22, 2007. His body was returned to Congo on November 23, and it was interred in the Marien Ngouabi Mausoleum on November 24.