Ève Bazaiba Masudi (née Ève Bazaiba) (born 12 August 1965) is a Congolese lawyer, politician, and human rights activist. As of May 2019, she served as the Secretary General of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) political party.[1] She is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment since 2021.[2]

Ève Bazaiba
Eve Bazaiba in 2022
Minister for the Environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Assumed office
12 April 2021
PresidentFélix Tshisekedi
Prime MinisterJean-Michel Sama Lukonde
MajorityUnion Sacrée de la Nation (USN)
Personal details
Born
Eve Bazaiba

(1965-08-12) 12 August 1965 (age 58)
Kisangani, DR Congo
CitizenshipDemocratic Republic of the Congo
NationalityCongolese
Political partyMovement for the Liberation of the Congo
EducationLycée Bosangani
(State School Diploma)
Cardinal Malula University
(Bachelor in International Relations)
Protestant University in Congo
(Bachelor of Laws)
OccupationLawyer, politician

Early life and education edit

Ève Bazaiba was born on 12 August 1965 in Stanleyville (today Kisangani), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[3] She studied Latin and Philosophy at Bosangani High School (Lycée Bosangani), in Kinshasa before being admitted to Cardinal Malula University, also in Kinshasa, and graduating with a Bachelor of International Relations degree.[1][4] In 2010 Bazaiba earned a law degree from the Protestant University in the Congo.[3]

Career edit

In 1988, Bazaiba became an activist for the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) political party, led by Étienne Tshisekedi. She was arrested several times under the regime of Mobutu Sese Seko, imprisoned for four days under the regime of Laurent-Desire Kabila and sued by the government of Joseph Kabila for denouncing corruption in the mining industry. In 2002, she participated in the Sun City talks that set up the transitional government that led to the 2006 elections of the Third Republic. When her party, the UDPS boycotted the elections, she personally pleaded with Étienne Tshisekedi and other party leadership to obtain a waiver to contest.[5]

In 2007, she was elected to the Senate as a member of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) political party, by the Kinshasa Provincial Assembly.[6] After serving her five-year term, she became president (chairperson) of the socio-cultural commission at the National Assembly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is a strong advocate for human rights and particularly the rights of women and other vulnerable groups.[7] During the 2011–2016 legislative session she proposed a bill that provided for special protections for disabled persons. She re-introduced the bill in 2019.[8]

As of 2019, she served as the Secretary General of the MLC.[1][9]

Family edit

Baizaba is a married mother.[4]

Other responsibilities edit

Eva Baizaba is the president of the League of Congolese Women for Elections (LIFCE).[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Eve Bazaiba has her handbag stolen in full rally of Lamuka in Kisangani!" (Translated from the original French language). Digital Congo. Kinshasa. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  2. ^ "RDC: Eve Bazaiba vice-premier ministre en charge de l'environnement et développement durable". Actualite.cd (in French). 12 April 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b Mazanza Kindulu 2015, p. 30.
  4. ^ a b Mariette Thythy Tshibola (6 July 2007). "Eve Bazaiba: Congolese Activist Woman". Kinshasa: Congokulture.net. Archived from the original (Translated from the original French Language. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014) on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  5. ^ Christophe Ayad (27 July 2006). "In the DRC, with "Candidate 256" campaigning in Kinshasa". Paris: Liberation.fr. Archived from the original (Translated from the original French language. Archived from the original on 1 July 2013) on 1 July 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  6. ^ CL/MMC (20 January 2007). "The Kinshasa Provincial Assembly elects senators JP Bemba, Eve Bazaiba, Nku Imbie, Romain Nimy, Moïse Nyarugabo…". Digital Congo. Kinshasa. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  7. ^ a b La Rédaction (23 March 2013). "Francophonie: Portraits of Two Committed Women: Eve Bazaiba Masudi, President of the socio-cultural commission at the National Assembly in the Democratic Republic of Congo" (Translated from the original French language). Paris: Revue-internationale.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  8. ^ Tshishiku, Marcel (26 September 2019). "Figurant sur la liste des arriérés de la Législature 2011–2016 : La proposition de loi sur les personnes handicapées relancée". La Tempête des Tropiques (in French). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  9. ^ The International Crisis Group (15 June 2015). "DR Congo: The Bemba Earthquake". Brussels, Belgium: The International Crisis Group. Retrieved 23 March 2020.

Works cited edit

External links edit