Former Energy Minister and Renowned Jurist Jeannot Matadi Nenga Ngamanda Dies

Kinshasa March 22, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of Congo mourns the loss of Jeannot Matadi Nenga Ngamanda, former Minister of Energy and Water Resources, who passed away on March 22 at the age of 76. Born on September 14, 1949, in Kifumu, Ngamanda was a towering figure in both the Congolese legal and political spheres. He earned a doctorate in law from the University of Paris X-Nanterre, a law degree from the National University of Zaire, and a diploma in human rights from Columbia University, New York. He also held a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and literature from Lovanium University in Kinshasa. A practicing lawyer since 1975, Ngamanda appeared before the Court of Cassation and the Council of State throughout his career. He was a member of the Standing Commission for the Reform of Congolese Law and held leadership positions within the legal profession, including President of the Kinshasa Bar Association, President of the Young Lawyers Association of Zaire, and Vice-President of the International Association of Young Lawyers. In politics, he served as Minister of Energy and Water Resources under the Matata II government, was a member of parliament, and held the position of Second Vice-President of the National Assembly during the transitional period. Ngamanda was also a prolific author, publishing several influential works on law and governance, including Private Judicial Law (2006), The Right to a Fair Trial (2002), The Question of Judicial Power in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2001), and Zaire: An Improbable Democracy (1997). His passing marks the end of a distinguished career dedicated to law, justice, and public service, leaving a lasting legacy in Congolese legal and political life.