Jean-Michel Bokamba-Yangouma
Encyclopedia
Jean-Michel Bokamba-Yangouma is a Congolese
politician. He was a prominent political figure from the 1970s to the 1990s, heading the Congolese Trade Union Confederation (Confédération syndicale congolaise, CSC). He is currently the President of the General Movement for the Construction of Congo (Mouvement général pour la construction du Congo, MGCC), a political party.
in northern Congo-Brazzaville. He was the Secretary-General of the CSC from 1974 to 1997. During the single party rule of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT), he also became a member of the PCT Political Bureau in 1979 and was assigned responsibility for party organization. In addition, he was Secretary of the Central Committee in charge of the coordination of the party and the activities of mass organizations from 1984 to 1990. In 1989, he was assigned responsibility for the coordination of the activities of mass organizations in the Political Bureau; for Bokamba-Yangouma, who had been the regime's third-ranking figure, the occasion marked a decline in influence, which was related to the CSC's active opposition to applications of the Structural Arrangement Programme. He remained on the Political Bureau until 1991.
Seeking greater political reform and the establishment of multiparty politics, the CSC unsuccessfully sought its independence from the PCT in 1990. It led a general strike and protests in September–October 1990, causing the PCT regime to allow the creation of other political parties. Bokamba-Yangouma joined the opposition shortly before the February–June 1991 National Conference, playing a key role in ending the PCT regime. He was the First Vice-President of the Higher Council of the Republic during the 1991–92 transitional period leading to multiparty elections. Following the 1992 local elections, which were organized by the government of Prime Minister André Milongo
and were widely criticized, Bokamba-Yangouma successfully worked to have Milongo's government deprived of its responsibility for organizing the subsequent parliamentary and presidential elections. Leading a political party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress
(UDPS), he was then elected to the National Assembly
and became the First Vice-President of the National Assembly. Bokamba-Yangouma, who was allied with President Pascal Lissouba
, served as President of the Economic and Social Council until Lissouba was ousted at the end of the June–October 1997 civil war. Bokamba-Yangouma fled into exile at the end of the war.
According to Bokamba-Yangouma, he turned to religion during his exile and became a devout Christian. He became the First Vice-President of the Patriotic Front for Dialogue and National Reconciliation (FPDRN), an opposition movement in exile, and in April 2001, he returned to Congo-Brazzaville to participate in a national dialogue as part of the FPDRN delegation. He subsequently returned on a permanent basis and met with President Denis Sassou Nguesso
. In December 2001, while still President of the UDPS, he became the head of an opposition coalition composed of 44 parties and associations.
Bokamba-Yangouma later dissolved the UDPS and founded the General Movement of Christians of Congo (Mouvement général des chrétiens du Congo, MGCC), a religiously-oriented party, in May 2004. As President of the MGCC, Bokamba-Yangouma said that the party would be inclusive and that non-Christians could join, "provided that they share the ideals of our party". Due to a constitutional prohibition on religious political parties, the MGCC was subsequently renamed as the General Movement for the Construction of Congo (Mouvement général pour la construction du Congo), retaining its acronym.
The MGCC held its first ordinary congress on 31 March 2007, stressing the importance of love and unity in the development of "a new and prosperous Congo". Bokamba-Yangouma called for the 2007 parliamentary election
to be delayed due to the existence of what he described as a "legal vacuum"; this was a reference to the fact that a bill providing for the creation of an independent electoral commission had been approved by the National Assembly but not signed into law by Sassou Nguesso in time for the election. Like many other opposition parties, the MGCC boycotted the election. By early 2008, the MGCC identified itself as a centrist party and distanced itself from the opposition. Together with another party, the Union for the Reconstruction and Development of Congo (URDC), the MGCC formed a coalition, the Coalition of Center Parties, in April 2008. Bokamba-Yangouma was designated as the first President of the Coalition.
Bokamba-Yangouma supported Sassou Nguesso's bid for another term in the July 2009 presidential election
. He was included on the 91-member National Coordination of the National Initiative for Peace (INP), a political association promoting Sassou Nguesso's 2009 re-election in conjunction with the preservation of peace, which was launched on 28 February 2009.
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. He was a prominent political figure from the 1970s to the 1990s, heading the Congolese Trade Union Confederation (Confédération syndicale congolaise, CSC). He is currently the President of the General Movement for the Construction of Congo (Mouvement général pour la construction du Congo, MGCC), a political party.
Political career
Bokamba-Yangouma is from Cuvette RegionCuvette Region
Cuvette is a department of the Republic of the Congo in the central part of the country. It borders the departments of Cuvette-Ouest, Likouala, Plateaux, and Sangha, and internationally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital is Owando...
in northern Congo-Brazzaville. He was the Secretary-General of the CSC from 1974 to 1997. During the single party rule of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT), he also became a member of the PCT Political Bureau in 1979 and was assigned responsibility for party organization. In addition, he was Secretary of the Central Committee in charge of the coordination of the party and the activities of mass organizations from 1984 to 1990. In 1989, he was assigned responsibility for the coordination of the activities of mass organizations in the Political Bureau; for Bokamba-Yangouma, who had been the regime's third-ranking figure, the occasion marked a decline in influence, which was related to the CSC's active opposition to applications of the Structural Arrangement Programme. He remained on the Political Bureau until 1991.
Seeking greater political reform and the establishment of multiparty politics, the CSC unsuccessfully sought its independence from the PCT in 1990. It led a general strike and protests in September–October 1990, causing the PCT regime to allow the creation of other political parties. Bokamba-Yangouma joined the opposition shortly before the February–June 1991 National Conference, playing a key role in ending the PCT regime. He was the First Vice-President of the Higher Council of the Republic during the 1991–92 transitional period leading to multiparty elections. Following the 1992 local elections, which were organized by the government of Prime Minister André Milongo
André Milongo
André Ntsatouabantou Milongo was a Congolese politician who served as Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo from June 1991 to August 1992. He was chosen by the 1991 National Conference to lead the country during its transition to multiparty elections, which were held in 1992...
and were widely criticized, Bokamba-Yangouma successfully worked to have Milongo's government deprived of its responsibility for organizing the subsequent parliamentary and presidential elections. Leading a political party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress
Union for Democracy and Social Progress
The Union for Democracy and Social Progress is one of major contemporary political parties in Democratic Republic of the Congo along with MLC. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous operation in Democratic Republic of the Congo...
(UDPS), he was then elected to the National Assembly
National Assembly of the Republic of the Congo
The Parliament of the Republic of Congo has two chambers. The lower house is the National Assembly . It has 153 members, for a five year term in single-seat constituencies.-See also:...
and became the First Vice-President of the National Assembly. Bokamba-Yangouma, who was allied with President 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....
, served as President of the Economic and Social Council until Lissouba was ousted at the end of the June–October 1997 civil war. Bokamba-Yangouma fled into exile at the end of the war.
According to Bokamba-Yangouma, he turned to religion during his exile and became a devout Christian. He became the First Vice-President of the Patriotic Front for Dialogue and National Reconciliation (FPDRN), an opposition movement in exile, and in April 2001, he returned to Congo-Brazzaville to participate in a national dialogue as part of the FPDRN delegation. He subsequently returned on a permanent basis and met with 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...
. In December 2001, while still President of the UDPS, he became the head of an opposition coalition composed of 44 parties and associations.
Bokamba-Yangouma later dissolved the UDPS and founded the General Movement of Christians of Congo (Mouvement général des chrétiens du Congo, MGCC), a religiously-oriented party, in May 2004. As President of the MGCC, Bokamba-Yangouma said that the party would be inclusive and that non-Christians could join, "provided that they share the ideals of our party". Due to a constitutional prohibition on religious political parties, the MGCC was subsequently renamed as the General Movement for the Construction of Congo (Mouvement général pour la construction du Congo), retaining its acronym.
The MGCC held its first ordinary congress on 31 March 2007, stressing the importance of love and unity in the development of "a new and prosperous Congo". Bokamba-Yangouma called for the 2007 parliamentary election
Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 24 June 2007, with a second round initially planned for 22 July 2007, but then postponed to 5 August 2007. According to the National Commission of the Organization of the Elections , 1,807 candidates stood in the first round for 137...
to be delayed due to the existence of what he described as a "legal vacuum"; this was a reference to the fact that a bill providing for the creation of an independent electoral commission had been approved by the National Assembly but not signed into law by Sassou Nguesso in time for the election. Like many other opposition parties, the MGCC boycotted the election. By early 2008, the MGCC identified itself as a centrist party and distanced itself from the opposition. Together with another party, the Union for the Reconstruction and Development of Congo (URDC), the MGCC formed a coalition, the Coalition of Center Parties, in April 2008. Bokamba-Yangouma was designated as the first President of the Coalition.
Bokamba-Yangouma supported Sassou Nguesso's bid for another term in the July 2009 presidential election
Republic of the Congo presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 12 July 2009. Long-time President Denis Sassou Nguesso won another seven-year term with a large majority of the vote, but the election was marked by accusations of irregularities and fraud from the opposition; six opposition...
. He was included on the 91-member National Coordination of the National Initiative for Peace (INP), a political association promoting Sassou Nguesso's 2009 re-election in conjunction with the preservation of peace, which was launched on 28 February 2009.