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This is a list of presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of the Congo and Zaire) since the country's independence in 1960.

The current president is Félix Tshisekedi, since 24 January 2019.^[1]

List of officeholders

^§ Elected unopposed

Denotes acting heads of state

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
Republic of the Congo (1960–1971)
1		Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1910–1969)	1960	1 July 1960	24 November 1965 (Deposed in a coup)	5 years, 146 days	ABAKO
2		Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1930–1997)	—	24 November 1965	27 October 1971^[2]	5 years, 337 days	Military (until 1967)
		Joseph-Désiré Mobutu (1930–1997)	1970^[§]	24 November 1965	27 October 1971^[2]	5 years, 337 days	MPR
Republic of Zaire (1971–1997)
(2)		Mobutu Sese Seko (1930–1997)^[a]	1977^[§] 1984^[§]	27 October 1971^[2]	16 May 1997 (Deposed in a civil war)^[3]	25 years, 201 days	MPR
Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–present)
3		Laurent-Désiré Kabila (1939–2001)	—	17 May 1997	16 January 2001 (Assassinated)	3 years, 244 days	Independent member of the AFDL
—		Joseph Kabila (born 1971)	—	17 January 2001	26 January 2001	9 days	Independent (until 2002)
4		Joseph Kabila (born 1971)	2006 2011	17 January 2001	24 January 2019	18 years, 7 days	PPRD
5		Félix Tshisekedi (born 1963)	2018 2023	24 January 2019	Incumbent	5 years, 330 days	UDPS

^ Previously named Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; changed name on 10 January 1972 due to the policy of Zairianisation.

^ Makumeno, Emery (31 December 2023). "DR Congo election: President Felix Tshisekedi declared landslide winner". BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Congo Changes Name To the Zaire Republic". New York Times. Reuters. 28 October 1971. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
^ Howard W. French (17 May 1997). "MOBUTU GIVES UP, LEAVING KINSHASA AND CEDING POWER". New York Times. Retrieved 10 October 2022.