Judith Suminwa Tuluka serves as Congo’s Prime Minister, overseeing national development, economic reform, peacebuilding, and gender equality initiatives.
When Judith Suminwa Tuluka took the oath of office on June 11, 2024, the moment marked a historic first for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Appointed by President Félix Tshisekedi on April 1, 2024, following the resignation of former Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, she became the first woman in the nation’s history to hold the post of Prime Minister.
Born on October 19, 1967, in Kongo Central, Judith Sunminwa Tuluka grew up in a diplomatic family as her father served as an ambassador during Mobutu Sese Seko’s presidency. This early exposure to global affairs shaped her perspective on leadership and service. She studied applied economic sciences at the Catholic University of Mons in Belgium, earned a master’s degree in labour studies from the Université libre de Bruxelles, and obtained a diploma in Human Resource Management for developing countries, specialising in labour sciences.
Before venturing into politics, Tuluka worked in a notable financial service provider and a multilateral institution. She began her career at Citibank before joining the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as an administrative and financial assistant. She later worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a national expert, managing community support projects in eastern DRC. These experiences grounded her understanding of governance, human rights, and economic development.
Her political career began within the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the ruling party led by President Tshisekedi. She served as Deputy Coordinator of the Presidential Council for Strategic Monitoring before being appointed Minister of State and Minister of Planning in March 2023 under Prime Minister Sama Lukonde. In this role, she oversaw national planning and economic policy, gaining recognition for her technocratic competence and ability to coordinate complex programs.
Tuluka’s 2024 appointment as Prime Minister served as both a strategic manoeuvre and a symbolic milestone. Following President Tshisekedi’s December 2023 re-election and the February 21, 2024, resignation of Prime Minister Sama Lukonde, her selection fulfilled a presidential pledge to promote “positive masculinity”. This framework encourages male leadership to actively champion the inclusion of women within the structures of national governance. Following months of political negotiations, she formed a leaner government of 55 members, including 18 women, marking significant progress toward gender parity.
Tuluka’s government action plan, unveiled at her swearing-in, is one of the most ambitious in Congo’s history. Valued at approximately $92.9 billion over five years, it focuses on six priorities: revitalising the national economy, strengthening security, improving social well-being, building human capacity, advancing infrastructure and spatial planning, and promoting environmental sustainability. Her economic strategy targets the reduction of import taxes, stabilisation of food prices, attraction of foreign investment, and support for entrepreneurship to boost growth and job creation.
She has also emphasised peacebuilding in the conflict-ridden eastern region, where insecurity and displacement remain severe, while pledging to improve education, healthcare, and social protection for vulnerable groups.
