Olive Lembe Di Sita Kabila, First Lady of Congo

Olive Lembe Di Sita Kabila, First Lady, Congo

Marie Olive Lembe di Sita (born 29 July 1976 in Kailo, Maniema, Zaire) is the current First Lady of the Congolese. She was the very secretive and discreet – almost elusive – long-term (since 2000) fiancée of Congolese President Joseph Kabila. She married her long term fiancé on 17 June 2006 , becoming her country’s First Lady.

In 2001, a daughter was born to the couple, Sifa Kabila, named after Kabila’s own mother, and former – similarly discreet and secretive – first lady Sifa Mahanya.

On 1 June 2006, after many wedding rumors were fueled by the Cardinal Archbishop of Kinshasa, Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi, the head of the MAISON CIVIL, Amb. Theo Mugalu, officially announced the wedding of Ms. Lembe di Sita to the President.

Two different dates emerged, some reports stating 10 June 2007, and other stating 10 June 2006. The wedding eventually took place on 17 June 2006 at the Presidential residence, in La Gombe, Kinshasa.

As President Kabila is Protestant, and Ms. Lembe di Sita is Catholic, the wedding ceremony was somewhat ecumenical, with both Cardinal Etsou, and Mgr Pierre Molefe Bodho – Bishop and President of the Church of Christ in Zambia, the umbrella church for most Protestant denominations in Congo – officiating. Cardinal Etsou had preeminence however.