There have been 21 heads of government of 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 Elisabeth Domitien to 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 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 incumbent Prime Minister is Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who has served since January 2008.
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Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa (MESAN) Central African Democratic Union (UDC) Central African Democratic Rally (RDC) Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) Social Democratic Party (PSD) Civic Forum (FC) National Unity Party (PUN) Patriotic Front for Progress (FPP) Nonpartisan
For heads of government with multiple affiliations, the political party listed first is the party the person was affiliated with at the beginning of his tenure.
| Central African Republic (Territorial autonomy) | ||||
| Prime Minister | Entered office | Left office | Affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barthélemy Boganda | 8 December 1958[A] | 29 March 1959[B] | MESAN | Founder of the MESAN party;[1] negotiated for the independence of Oubangui-Chari and named the country the "Central African Republic".[2] |
| Abel Goumba | 30 March 1959[3] | 30 April 1959 | MESAN | Served as acting prime minister; had an internal struggle for power with Dacko after Boganda's death. |
| David Dacko | 1 May 1959[3] | 13 August 1960 | MESAN | Seized power from Goumba, with the support of high commissioner Roger Barberot, the Bangui chamber of commerce and Boganda's widow.[4] |
| Central African Republic (Independent) | ||||
| French: République centrafricaine, Sango: Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka | ||||
| David Dacko | 13 August 1960[3] | 14 August 1960[C] | MESAN | Also served as head of state (President) upon independence.[5] |
| Post abolished (14 August 1960 – 1 January 1975) | ||||
| Elisabeth Domitien | 2 January 1975[D][6] | 7 April 1976[E][7] | MESAN | First female head of government in Africa.[8] |
| Vacant (8 April 1976 – 4 September 1976) | ||||
| Ange-Félix Patassé | 5 September 1976[7][9] | 3 December 1976[F] | MESAN | Later served as President (1993–2003).[10] |
| Central African Empire | ||||
| French: Empire centrafricain | ||||
| Ange-Félix Patassé | 8 December 1976[11] | 14 July 1978 | MESAN | |
| Henri Maïdou | 14 July 1978[7] | 21 September 1979[11] | MESAN | Wrote a letter on 4 September 1979 to the French government officials, asking them to put an end to Bokassa's tyrannical rule.[12] Less than three weeks later, the French successfully executed Operation Barracuda, toppling the Bokassa regime. |
| Central African Republic | ||||
| French: République centrafricaine, Sango: Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka | ||||
| Henri Maïdou | 21 September 1979 | 26 September 1979[G] | MESAN | |
| Bernard Ayandho | 26 September 1979[13] | 22 August 1980[H] | MESAN | Previously served as a Minister of Economy.[14] |
| UDC[I] | ||||
| Vacant (23 August 1980 – 11 November 1980) | ||||
| Jean-Pierre Lebouder | 12 November 1980[13] | 4 April 1981[15] | UDC | Minister of Economy and Finance in Gaombalet's government from 2003–2004.[16] |
| Simon Narcisse Bozanga | 4 April 1981 | 1 September 1981[13] | UDC | Served as secretary general and Minister of Justice in the Dacko government.[17] |
| Post abolished (2 September 1981 – 14 March 1991) | ||||
| Edouard Frank | 15 March 1991[13] | 4 December 1992[18] | RDC | Served as the president of the Central African Republic Supreme Court. Declared Patassé the winner of the 1993 presidential election.[19] |
| Timothée Malendoma | 4 December 1992 | 26 February 1993[J] | FC | Minister of the National Economy in Bokassa's government and Minister of State under Dacko.[20] |
| Enoch Derant Lakoué | 26 February 1993 | 25 October 1993 | PSD | Candidate from the PSD in the 1993 and 1999 presidential elections.[21][22] Later served as the head of the national administration of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).[23] |
| Jean-Luc Mandaba | 25 October 1993[24] | 12 April 1995[K] | MLPC | Minister of Health under Kolingba and Vice President of the MLPC.[25] |
| Gabriel Koyambounou | 12 April 1995[26] | 6 June 1996 | MLPC | Inspector in the civil service prior to becoming Prime Minister.[26] |
| Jean-Paul Ngoupande | 6 June 1996[18] | 30 January 1997 | PUN | Former ambassador to France.[27] |
| Michel Gbezera-Bria | 30 January 1997[L] | 4 January 1999 | Nonpartisan | Previously served as Foreign Minister.[28] |
| Anicet-Georges Dologuélé | 4 January 1999[29] | 1 April 2001[M] | Nonpartisan | Minister of Finance and Budget in Gbezera-Bria's government.[30] |
| Martin Ziguélé | 1 April 2001 | 15 March 2003[N] | MLPC | Finished second place to incumbent François Bozizé in the first round of the 2005 presidential elections,[31] but lost the second round run-off.[32] Elected to three-year term as President of MLPC in June 2007.[33] |
| Abel Goumba | 23 March 2003[34] | 11 December 2003[O] | FPP | Acting Prime Minister following Boganda's death in 1959.[18] Vice President from 11 December 2003 to 15 March 2005. |
| Célestin-Leroy Gaombalet | 12 December 2003 | 11 June 2005[P] | Nonpartisan | Former director-general of Union Bank in Central Africa (UBAC), worked for the Development Bank of Central African States in Congo, headed the Moroccan-Central African People's Bank (BMPC).[35] Currently the Speaker of the National Assembly.[36] |
| Élie Doté | 13 June 2005[37] | 18 January 2008[Q] | Nonpartisan | Became Finance Minister in September 2006 cabinet reshuffle, while maintaining his post as Prime Minister.[38] |
| Faustin-Archange Touadéra | 22 January 2008[39] | Incumbent | Nonpartisan | Holds two doctoral degrees in mathematics. Served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bangui from May 2004 until being appointed as Prime Minister.[40] |
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