Norbert Basengezi elected Second Vice-President, replacing Bahati Lukwebo

Kinshasa April 3, 2026 - Senator Norbert Basengezi Katintima has been elected Second Vice-President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, securing a clear majority in Friday’s vote. According to results announced by Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, Basengezi received 87 votes in favor, against 5 votes opposed and 3 invalid ballots. A former head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and senator representing South Kivu, Basengezi was designated by the ruling coalition, the Sacred Union of the Nation, to succeed Modeste Bahati Lukwebo in the Senate bureau. His election follows a process marked by the withdrawal of other contenders. Senator Françoise Bemba Ndokwa, initially in the race, saw her candidacy withdrawn by her party, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo. Another candidate, Mariane Bakiele, also stepped down on the eve of the vote, citing alignment with the majority coalition’s choice and respect for the Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi. With no remaining challengers, Basengezi stood as the sole candidate, a position validated by a special commission set up to review applications. The vacancy followed the resignation of Bahati Lukwebo, which the Senate formally acknowledged during a plenary session on March 21. His departure came amid a petition seeking his removal over alleged “incompetence.” A special parliamentary commission had been tasked with examining the case but closed its proceedings after his resignation. Basengezi’s election consolidates the Sacred Union’s hold over key positions within the upper chamber, at a time of ongoing political realignments within the country’s institutions.