Former IMF official, Marie Malangu Kabedi Mbuyi, has been appointed as the new Central Bank governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the first time a female is being appointed to head the Central Bank in the bank’s 70-year history.
Malangu replaces Deogratias Mutombo, the outgoing Central Bank governor who served for the last 8 years and will now lead Congo’s insurance regulator.
The new governor is expected to lead in the implementation of the country’s monetary policy, regulate foreign currency transactions, and strengthen the country’s financial sector. She is also charged with bringing reforms to the DRC Central Bank as part of an agreement between the IMF and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed in May this year.
DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya described Malangu Kabedi as an ‘exceptional woman’. Prior to her appointment, Malangu worked with the IMF for 32 years, including as the IMF representative in Cameroon and Benin.
In addition to appointing Marie Malangu, President Tshisekedi picked 2 deputy governors; Dieudonne Fikiri and William Pambu, and 7 directors to lead the nation’s Central Bank.