Head of presidential guard named DR Congo army chief

Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi has named Lieutenant-General Christian Tshiwewe Songesha as the new chief of general staff of the country’s armed forces (FARDC). (BBC)

In a statement on Monday night, the president’s spokesperson said the 54-year-old general will replace Gen Célestin Mbala Munsense, who has held the post since July 2018.

Gen Munsense is on the list of army veterans set to retire, French broadcaster RFI reports.

Mr Tshiwewe has been commander of the president’s security forces since 2020. He trained in Sudan, Angola, and the Kinshasa defence academy,

The Congolese army has been battling armed groups in the east of the country for three decades.

Over the last three months, the M23 armed group has made gains against the army to occupy the strategic border town of Bunagana and areas around it in North Kivu province.

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