List of heads of government of the Central African Republic

This article lists the heads of government of the Central African Republic. There have been twenty-five heads of government of the Central African Republic and the Central African Empire. The office of prime minister, the head of government, was created when the Central African Republic became an autonomous territory of France in December 1958. It was originally the highest post of the Central African Republic, though France did maintain a governor in the territory. After the Central African Republic declared its independence and became a republic on 13 August 1960, David Dacko held both the prime minister and newly created president of the Central African Republic posts briefly before eliminating the prime minister position and placing all executive power in the office of the President.

President Jean-Bédel Bokassa restored the office of prime minister to assist him in governing the country in 1975, shortly before he declared himself emperor. He selected as prime minister Elisabeth Domitien, who become Africa's first female head of government. After Domitien was removed from office, Bokassa named Ange-Félix Patassé to become his next prime minister. Patassé continued serving as prime minister after Bokassa declared the establishment of the Central African Empire in December 1976. Henri Maïdou succeeded Patassé and continued serving as prime minister after Bokassa was overthrown from power. During the following two years of Dacko's presidency, three more politicians served as prime minister. The post was abolished when Dacko was overthrown from the presidency by Andre Kolingba on 1 September 1981. The position, as it exists today, was recreated in 1991, when President Kolingba was forced to relinquish some of the executive power. The president has the authority to name the prime minister and can remove them from office at any time. The prime minister is the head of the government; within days of being appointed, they must select individuals for their Cabinet, who they will work with to coordinate the government.

The current prime minister of the Central African Republic is Félix Moloua, since 7 February 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

List of officeholders

Political parties

Other affiliations

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Term of office			Political affiliation		Notes
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Central African Republic (1958–1960; Template:Nobold)
1		Barthélemy Boganda Template:Small	8 December 1958Template:Ref label	29 March 1959Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Founder of the MESAN party;<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> negotiated for the independence of Oubangui-Chari and named the country the "Central African Republic".<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
—		Abel Goumba Template:Small	30 March 1959<ref name="Kalckp198">Template:Harvnb.</ref>	30 April 1959	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Served as acting prime minister; had an internal struggle for power with Dacko after Boganda's death.
2		David Dacko Template:Small	1 May 1959<ref name="Kalckp198" />	13 August 1960	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Seized power from Goumba, with the support of high commissioner Roger Barberot, the Bangui chamber of commerce and Boganda's widow, Michelle Jourdain.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
Central African Republic (1960–1976; Template:Nobold)
1		David Dacko Template:Small	13 August 1960<ref name="Kalckp198" />	14 August 1960Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Also served as head of state (President) upon independence.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
Post abolished (14 August 1960 – 1 January 1975)
2		Elisabeth Domitien Template:Small	2 January 1975Template:Ref label<ref name="Kalckp199">Template:Harvnb.</ref>	7 April 1976Template:Ref label<ref name="Lentzp153">Template:Harvnb.</ref>	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	First female head of government in Africa.<ref name="Titleyp83">Template:Harvnb.</ref>
Vacant (8 April 1976 – 4 September 1976)
3		Ange-Félix Patassé Template:Small	5 September 1976<ref name="Lentzp153" /><ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>	3 December 1976Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Later served as President (1993–2003).<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
Central African Empire (1976–1979)
1		Ange-Félix Patassé Template:Small	8 December 1976<ref name="Stewartp58">Template:Harvnb.</ref>	14 July 1978	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN
2		Henri Maïdou Template:Small	14 July 1978<ref name="Lentzp153" />	21 September 1979<ref name="Stewartp58" />	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Wrote a letter on 4 September 1979 to the French government officials, asking them to put an end to Bokassa's tyrannical rule.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> Less than three weeks later, the French successfully executed Operation Barracuda, toppling the Bokassa regime.
Central African Republic (1979–present)
4		Henri Maïdou Template:Small	21 September 1979	26 September 1979Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN
5		Bernard Ayandho Template:Small	26 September 1979<ref name="Lentzp154">Template:Harvnb.</ref>	22 August 1980Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MESAN	Previously served as a Minister of Economy.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
						style="background:Template:Party color" |	UDCTemplate:Ref label
Vacant (23 August 1980 – 11 November 1980)
6		Jean-Pierre Lebouder Template:Small	12 November 1980<ref name="Lentzp154" />	4 April 1981<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	UDC	Minister of Economy and Finance in Gaombalet's government from 2003–2004.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
7		Simon Narcisse Bozanga Template:Small	4 April 1981	1 September 1981<ref name="Lentzp154" />	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	UDC	Served as secretary general and Minister of Justice in the Dacko government.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
Post abolished (2 September 1981 – 14 March 1991)
8		Édouard Frank Template:Small	15 March 1991<ref name="Lentzp154" />	4 December 1992<ref name="Kalckp200" />	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	RDC	Served as the president of the Central African Republic Supreme Court. Declared Patassé the winner of the 1993 presidential election.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
9		Timothée Malendoma Template:Small	4 December 1992	26 February 1993Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	FC	Minister of the National Economy in Bokassa's government and Minister of State under Dacko.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
10		Enoch Derant Lakoué Template:Small	26 February 1993	25 October 1993	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	PSD	Candidate from the PSD in the 1993 and 1999 presidential elections.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref><ref>Template:Citation.</ref> Later served as the head of the national administration of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
11		Jean-Luc Mandaba Template:Small	25 October 1993<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>	12 April 1995Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MLPC	Minister of Health under Kolingba and Vice President of the MLPC.<ref name="Murisonp200">Template:Harvnb.</ref>
12		Gabriel Koyambounou Template:Small	12 April 1995<ref name="Koyambounou">Template:Citation</ref>	6 June 1996	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MLPC	Inspector in the civil service prior to becoming prime minister.<ref name="Koyambounou" />
13		Jean-Paul Ngoupandé Template:Small	6 June 1996<ref name="Kalckp200" />	30 January 1997	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	PUN	Former ambassador to France.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
14		Michel Gbezera-Bria Template:Small	30 January 1997Template:Ref label	4 January 1999	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Previously served as foreign minister.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
15		Anicet-Georges Dologuélé Template:Small	4 January 1999<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>	1 April 2001Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Minister of Finance and Budget in Gbezera-Bria's government.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
16		Martin Ziguélé Template:Small	1 April 2001	15 March 2003Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MLPC	Finished second place to incumbent François Bozizé in the first round of the 2005 presidential elections,<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> but lost the second round run-off.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> Elected to three-year term as President of MLPC in June 2007.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
17		Abel Goumba Template:Small	23 March 2003<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>	11 December 2003Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	FPP	Acting Prime Minister following Boganda's death in 1959.<ref name="Kalckp200" /> Vice President from 11 December 2003 to 15 March 2005.
18		Célestin Gaombalet Template:Small	12 December 2003	11 June 2005Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Former director-general of Union Bank in Central Africa (UBAC), worked for the Development Bank of Central African States in Congo-Brazzaville, headed the Moroccan-Central African People's Bank (BMPC).<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> Subsequently, the Speaker of the National Assembly.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
19		Élie Doté Template:Small	13 June 2005<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>	18 January 2008Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Became finance minister in September 2006 cabinet reshuffle, while maintaining his post as prime minister.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
20	File:Faustin Touadera.jpg	Faustin-Archange Touadéra Template:Small	22 January 2008<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>	17 January 2013<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Holds two doctoral degrees in mathematics. Served as vice-chancellor of the University of Bangui from May 2004 until being appointed as prime minister.<ref>Template:CitationTemplate:Dead link.</ref> Later served as President (2016–present).
21	File:Nicolas Tiangaye 2013-12-20.jpg	Nicolas Tiangaye Template:Small	17 January 2013<ref name=Fort>Patrick Fort, "Tiangaye named Central African PM, says 'hard work' begins", Agence France-Presse, 17 January 2013.</ref>	10 January 2014Template:Ref label	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Served as President of the National Transitional Council (CNT) from 2003 to 2005.
—	File:André Nzapayéké 2006.jpg	André Nzapayeké Template:Small	25 January 2014	10 August 2014<ref>"Central African Republic's PM, cabinet resign — state radio", Reuters Africa. 5 August 2014.</ref>	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Serving as acting prime minister; former executive director of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and vice president of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).<ref name="RFI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="aljaz">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
—	File:Mahamat Kamoun (cropped).jpg	Mahamat Kamoun Template:Small	10 August 2014	2 April 2016	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent	Heading a transitional government until the full implementation of the peace deal.
22	File:Simplice Sarandji 2016 (cropped).jpg	Simplice Sarandji Template:Small	2 April 2016	27 February 2019	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent
23	File:NgrebadaFirmin.png	Firmin Ngrébada Template:Small	27 February 2019	15 June 2021	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent
						style="background:Template:Party color" |	MCU
24	File:PMDondra.jpg	Henri-Marie Dondra Template:Small	15 June 2021	7 February 2022	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	Independent
25	File:Felix Moloua.png	Félix Moloua Template:Small	7 February 2022	Incumbent	Template:Age in years and days	style="background:Template:Party color" |	MCU

Footnotes

• Template:Note label Goumba had served as President of the Government Council since 26 July 1958.<ref name="Kalckp198" /> When the Central African Republic became a territorial autonomy, he served as the acting leader the government from 1 December 1958 to 8 December 1958.
• Template:Note label Boganda was killed in a mysterious plane crash on 29 March 1959, while en route to Bangui.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> The exact cause of the crash was not determined,<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> but sabotage was widely suspected.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> Experts found a trace of explosives in the plane's wreckage, but revelation of this detail was withheld. Although those responsible for the crash were never identified, people have suspected the French secret service, and even Boganda's wife, of being involved.
• Template:Note label Dacko removed the prime minister position and consolidated power in the presidency.
• Template:Note label President for Life Jean-Bédel Bokassa established a new government on 2 January 1975 and reintroduced the position of prime minister. He appointed Domitien as president of MESAN and Prime Minister of the Central African Republic.<ref name="Titleyp83" />
• Template:Note label Domitien was removed from office because she publicly expressed her disapproval of Bokassa's plans to establish a monarchy in the Central African Republic.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Bokassa then had her placed under house arrest.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label On 4 December 1976, Bokassa instituted a new constitution and declared the republic a monarchy, the Central African Empire.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
• Template:Note label President Dacko appointed Maïdou as vice president on 27 September 1979.<ref name="Kalckp200">Template:Harvnb.</ref>
• Template:Note label Prime Minister Ayandho was dismissed from office on 22 August 1980 by Dacko, who saw him as a political threat, and placed under house arrest.<ref name="Lentzp154" />
• Template:Note label Dacko created the Central African Democratic Union in February 1980 as the country's only political party.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
• Template:Note label Malendoma was removed as prime minister and replaced by Lakoué.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
• Template:Note label In April 1995, Mandaba resigned as prime minister, preempting a threatened vote of no-confidence from his own party, following accusations of incompetence and corruption.<ref name="Murisonp200" />
• Template:Note label Gbezera-Bria was named prime minister on 30 January 1997 to replace Ngoupande, who had been accused of siding with disgruntled soldiers, who had sparked a mutiny on 15 November 1996 to demand higher wages. Ngoupande also didn't strongly support President Patassé's decision to call in French troops to suppress the soldier uprising.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label President Patassé fired Dologuélé on 1 April 2001 and replaced him with Ziguélé, a senior diplomat who had served as ambassador to Benin for the last two years. Patassé did not provide an explanation for his decision, but political observers state that the nonpartisan Dologuélé had become widely unpopular with the ruling MLPC party.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label Ziguélé left office when François Bozizé seized power on 15 March 2003.
• Template:Note label On 11 December 2003, Goumba was dismissed as prime minister and was appointed as vice president.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label Gaombalet resigned as prime minister on 11 June 2005 after being elected as Speaker of the National Assembly on 7 June.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label In mid-January 2008, members of the National Assembly filed a censure motion against the Doté government, in response to countrywide civil service strike initiated by trade unions to protest the government's failure to pay arrears to government employees.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> On 18 January, Doté announced his resignation as prime minister.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
• Template:Note label Tiangaye resigned with President Michel Djotodia in N'Djamena, Chad on 10 January 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:150 left:20 AlignBars = late

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

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 id:ind   value:rgb(0.8,0.8,0.8)       legend:None_(Independent)
 id:mesan value:rgb(0,0,0)             legend:MESAN
 id:udc   value:rgb(0.47,0.66,0.27)    legend:UDC
 id:rdc   value:rgb(0.98,0.89,0.23)    legend:RDC
 id:fc    value:rgb(0.118,0.529,0.698) legend:FC
 id:psd   value:rgb(0.0,0.5,0.3)       legend:PSD
 id:mlpc  value:rgb(0.08,0.64,0.28)    legend:MLPC
 id:pun   value:rgb(0.678,0.847,0.901) legend:PUN
 id:fpp   value:rgb(0.999,0.509,0.509) legend:FPP
 id:mcu   value:rgb(0.04,0.45,0.78)    legend:MCU

 id:gray1  value:gray(0.85)
 id:gray2  value:gray(0.95)

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1958 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+1}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1960 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1958

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 pos:(20,38) textcolor:black fontsize:M
 text:"Political party:"

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bar:Boganda
bar:Goumba
bar:Dacko
bar:Domitien
bar:Patassé
bar:Maïdou
bar:Ayandho
bar:Lebouder
bar:Bozanga
bar:Frank
bar:Malendoma
bar:Lakoué
bar:Mandaba
bar:Koyambounou
bar:Ngoupandé
bar:Bria
bar:Dologuélé
bar:Ziguélé
bar:Gaombalet
bar:Doté
bar:Touadéra
bar:Tiangaye
bar:Nzapayeké
bar:Kamoun
bar:Sarandji
bar:Ngrébada
bar:Dondra
bar:Moloua

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bar:Boganda
 from: 08/12/1958 till: 29/03/1959 color:mesan text:"Barthélemy Boganda"
bar:Goumba
 from: 30/03/1959 till: 30/04/1959 color:mesan
 from: 23/03/2003 till: 11/12/2003 color:fpp   text:"Abel Goumba"
bar:Dacko
 from: 01/05/1959 till: 13/08/1960 color:mesan text:"David Dacko"
bar:Domitien
 from: 02/01/1975 till: 07/04/1976 color:mesan text:"Elisabeth Domitien"
bar:Patassé
 from: 05/09/1976 till: 03/12/1976 color:mesan
 from: 08/12/1976 till: 14/07/1978 color:mesan text:"Ange-Félix Patassé"
bar:Maïdou
 from: 14/07/1978 till: 21/09/1979 color:mesan
 from: 21/09/1979 till: 26/09/1979 color:mesan text:"Henri Maïdou"
bar:Ayandho
 from: 26/09/1979 till: 01/03/1980 color:mesan
 from: 01/03/1980 till: 22/08/1980 color:udc   text:"Bernard Ayandho"
bar:Lebouder
 from: 12/11/1980 till: 04/04/1981 color:udc   text:"Jean-Pierre Lebouder"
bar:Bozanga
 from: 04/04/1981 till: 01/09/1981 color:udc   text:"Simon Narcisse Bozanga"
bar:Frank
 from: 15/03/1991 till: 04/12/1992 color:rdc   text:"Édouard Frank"
bar:Malendoma
 from: 04/12/1992 till: 26/02/1993 color:fc    text:"Timothée Malendoma"
bar:Lakoué
 from: 26/02/1993 till: 25/10/1993 color:psd   text:"Enoch Derant Lakoué"
bar:Mandaba
 from: 25/10/1993 till: 12/04/1995 color:mlpc  text:"Jean-Luc Mandaba"
bar:Koyambounou
 from: 12/04/1995 till: 06/06/1996 color:mlpc  text:"Gabriel Koyambounou"
bar:Ngoupandé
 from: 06/06/1996 till: 30/01/1997 color:pun   text:"Jean-Paul Ngoupandé"
bar:Bria
 from: 30/01/1997 till: 04/01/1999 color:ind   text:"Michel Gbezera-Bria"
bar:Dologuélé
 from: 04/01/1999 till: 01/04/2001 color:ind   text:"Anicet-Georges Dologuélé"
bar:Ziguélé
 from: 01/04/2001 till: 15/03/2003 color:mlpc  text:"Martin Ziguélé"
bar:Gaombalet
 from: 12/12/2003 till: 11/06/2005 color:ind   text:"Célestin Gaombalet"
bar:Doté
 from: 13/06/2005 till: 11/01/2008 color:ind   text:"Élie Doté"
bar:Touadéra
 from: 22/01/2008 till: 17/01/2013 color:ind   text:"Faustin-Archange Touadéra"
bar:Tiangaye
 from: 17/01/2013 till: 10/01/2014 color:ind   text:"Nicolas Tiangaye"
bar:Nzapayeké
 from: 25/01/2014 till: 10/08/2014 color:ind   text:"André Nzapayeké"
bar:Kamoun
 from: 10/08/2014 till: 02/04/2016 color:ind   text:"Mahamat Kamoun"
bar:Sarandji
 from: 02/04/2016 till: 27/02/2019 color:ind   text:"Simplice Sarandji"
bar:Ngrébada
 from: 27/02/2019 till: 28/02/2019 color:ind
 from: 28/02/2019 till: 15/06/2021 color:mcu   text:"Firmin Ngrébada"
bar:Dondra
 from: 15/06/2021 till: 07/02/2022 color:ind   text:"Henri-Marie Dondra"
bar:Moloua
 from: 07/02/2022 till: $today     color:mcu   text:"Félix Moloua"

</timeline>

See also

• Politics of the Central African Republic
• History of the Central African Republic
• Emperor of Central Africa
• List of heads of state of the Central African Republic
• Vice President of the Central African Republic
• List of colonial governors of Ubangi-Shari

References

Specific

General

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External links

• Elections in the Central African Republic
• BBC News Timeline: Central African Republic