Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya (January 7, 1936"Biographie de Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya, président de l’Assemblée nationale du Congo"
, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', August 13, 2002 .Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, ''Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique'' (1997), Karthala Editions, page 446 . – June 20, 2008"Décès à Paris de l'ancien président de l'assemblée nationale, Jean Pierre Thystère Tchicaya"
, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', June 21, 2008 .) was a Congolese politician. He was briefly acting head of state of Congo-Brazzaville in February 1979 and was President of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

from 2002 to 2007. He also led a political party, the

Rally for Democracy and Social Progress The Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (french: Rassemblement pour la démocratie et le progrès social, RDPS) is a political party in the Republic of the Congo, founded by Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya. History Thystère Tchicaya fo ...

(RDPS), from 1990 to 2008.

Early career

Born in January 1936 in

Pointe-Noire Pointe-Noire (; kg, Njinji, french: Ndjindji with the letter d following French spelling standards) is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Before t ...

, he was a member of an ethnic Vili former royal family of the

Kingdom of Loango The Kingdom of Loango (also ''Lwããgu'') was a pre- colonial African state, during approximately the 16th to 19th centuries in what is now the western part of the Republic of the Congo, Southern Gabon and Cabinda. Situated to the north of the ...

. Tchicaya studied at an elementary school in Pointe-Noire from 1944 to 1950. Between 1950 and 1957, he studied in

Brazzaville Brazzaville (, kg, Kintamo, Nkuna, Kintambo, Ntamo, Mavula, Tandala, Mfwa, Mfua; Teke: ''M'fa'', ''Mfaa'', ''Mfa'', ''Mfoa''Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLI ...

, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy. He was sent to study in France in 1957, where he studied École Normale Supérieure in

Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, from the centre of Paris. Like other communes of Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of France's wealthiest towns ...

. He also obtained a Bachelor's Degree in History Education and worked on a doctorate at

Paris-Sorbonne University Paris-Sorbonne University (also known as Paris IV; french: Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris IV) was a public research university in Paris, France, active from 1971 to 2017. It was the main inheritor of the Faculty of Humanities of the Universit ...

before being recalled back to Congo in 1965. While in France, he married a Frenchwoman, Blanche Marie Duran in 1961 and had four children: Dominique, Jean Marc, Patricia and Jean Pascal. After he returned, he worked as a director at the Lycée Chaminade (1965–1967), the place where he completed his secondary studies and the École Normale Supérieure de l'Afrique Centrale (1967–1970).John F. Clark and Samuel Decalo,
Historical Dictionary of Republic of the Congo
', Fourth Edition (9 August 2012), Scarecrow Press, pages 417–418.

Political career under single-party rule

Tchicaya, a founding member of the

Congolese Labour Party The Congolese Party of Labour (french: Parti congolais du travail, PCT) is the ruling party of the Republic of the Congo. Founded in 1969 by Marien Ngouabi, it was originally a pro-Soviet, Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist vanguard party w ...

(PCT),"La rumeur du décès de Jean Pierre Thistère Tchicaya est infondée"
''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', October 30, 2007 . became Minister of Vocational and Technical Education in December 1971, and in August 1973 his portfolio was expanded to include higher education; he held that post until December 1974. Also during that period, he temporarily assumed responsibility for the portfolio of information, culture, arts, and sports on March 2, 1973 following the arrest of

Sylvain Bemba Sylvain is the French form of Silvanus. It may refer to: People *Sylvain Archambault, Canadian director * Sylvain Bied (1965–2011), French footballer and manager * Sylvain Cappell (born 1946), American mathematician * Sylvain Chavanel (born 19 ...

. Joining the Central Committee of the PCT in December 1972, he held leading posts in the PCT during the 1970s. From December 1974 to December 1975, he was President of the PCT Central Commission of Control and Verification. As a political commissar of Pool region, he also became a member of the Special Revolutionary General Staff that was formed on 12 December 1975. He was included on the Council of State announced on January 8, 1976. He served briefly as acting head of state during the transition from Yhombi-Opango to Sassou Nguesso. Shortly after

Denis Sassou Nguesso Denis Sassou Nguesso (born 23 November 1943) is a Congolese politician and former military officer. He became president of the Republic of the Congo in 1997. He served a previous term as president from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as p ...

became President in early 1979, Tchicaya was elected as Vice-President by an extraordinary PCT party congress on March 31, 1979. In February 1983, he was named as president of the ''Banque Commerciale Congolaise'' and later accused by

Claude-Ernest Ndalla Claude-Ernest Ndalla (born 25 May 1937Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, ''Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique'' (1997), Karthala Editions, page 440 . From March 1979 to July 1984, he was a member of the PCT Political Bureau in charge of ideology and education and was the second ranking leader of the PCT. He was removed from all his positions in the party,"Nov 1984 - Re-election of President - Government changes"
''Keesing's Record of World Events'', volume 30, November 1984, Congo, page 33,201. including his seat on the Central Committee, and was placed under house arrest for two years in 1984. Although this decision was not officially explained, some speculated that Tchicaya was believed to have been involved in 1982 bomb attacks in

. In August 1986, the Revolutionary Court of Justice sentenced

Claude-Ernest Ndalla Claude-Ernest Ndalla (born 25 May 1937Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, ''Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique'' (1997), Karthala Editions, page 440 .

Political career after 1990

After splitting from the PCT,John F. Clark, "Congo: Transition and the Struggle to Consolidate", in ''Political Reform in Francophone Africa'' (1997), ed. John F. Clark and David E. Gardinier, pages 71–75. Tchicaya was part of the opposition National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP; Union National pour la Démocratie et le Progrès) at the beginning of the transition to multiparty democracy, but he left the UNDP to found another opposition party, the RDPS, on October 29, 1990. He was a delegate at the 1991 Sovereign National Conference,Gankama N'Siah
"La Conférence nationale souveraine : arrive le moment des déclarations de politique générale"
, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', 8 June 2007 . and at the Conference he famously declared "never again!" (''plus jamais ça!''). Standing as the RDPS candidate in the August 1992 presidential election, he placed fifth with 5.78% of the vote.Xavier Bienvenu Kitsimbou
"La Democratie Et Les Realties Ethnques Au Congo"
University of Nancy II, October 26, 2001, pages 104–105 . His best showing was in

Kouilou Region Kouilou ( kg, Kwilu, Kuilu ) is a department of the Republic of the Congo. Covering the country's coastline, it has an area of 13,650 square kilometres and at the start of 2007 it was home to about 91,955 people. The department borders Niar ...

(which includes

, the country's second-largest city and economic capital), where he obtained 28% of the vote and placed second behind

Pascal Lissouba Pascal Lissouba (15 November 1931 – 24 August 2020) was a Congolese politician who was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo and served from 31 August 1992 until 25 October 1997. He was overthrown by the form ...

. Tchicaya backed

Bernard Kolélas Bernard Bakana Kolélas (12 June 1933Alain Kounzilat, , Kimpwanza (planeteafrique.com) . – 13 November 2009Thierry Noungou"Parlement - Bernard Bakana Kolélas décédé ce 13 novembre à Paris", ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', 13 November 2 ...

of the

Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development The Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (french: Mouvement congolais pour la démocratie et le développement intégral; MCDDI) is a liberal political party in the Republic of the Congo, led by Bernard Kolélas until his de ...

(MCDDI) in the second round, but Lissouba defeated Kolélas. After President Lissouba lost his parliamentary majority, he dissolved the National Assembly in preparation for a new parliamentary election. This led to a political crisis and the formation of a new government under Prime Minister Claude Antoine Dacosta that incorporated both Lissouba's supporters and members of the Union for Democratic Renewal (URD)–PCT opposition coalition. In this government, appointed on 25 December 1992,''Africa Research Bulletin''
(1993), page 10847. Tchicaya was Minister of Mines, Energy and Hydrocarbons. Dacosta's "60/40" government remained in place until the time of the May–June 1993 parliamentary election, in which Tchicaya won a seat in the National Assembly. The URD-PCT opposition coalition rejected the election results as fraudulent and formed a rival government in which Tchicaya was Prime Minister; he was also named Minister of National Defense and Minister of Hydrocarbons in the rival government. From 1993 to 1997 he was President of the URD Parliamentary Group. He was elected as Mayor of Pointe-Noire in July 1994, serving as Mayor from August 1994 to October 1997. During the 1997 civil war, Tchicaya was the Second Vice-President of the National Mediation Committee, which was chaired by URD leader

and established in June 1997. After Kolélas was appointed Prime Minister, he formed a government on September 14, 1997 that included Tchicaya as Minister of State for Decentralization and Regional Development; this government fell only one month later, on October 14, 1997, when rebel forces loyal to former President and PCT leader Denis Sassou Nguesso captured

. A few days later, Tchicaya announced the support of the RDPS for Sassou Nguesso. At the end of the transitional period that followed the war, Tchicaya was elected to the National Assembly in the 2002 parliamentary election"Elections législatives : les 51 élus du premier tour"
, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', June 5, 2002 . as the RDPS candidate in Pointe Noire's Mvou Mvou constituency; he won the seat in the first round with 68.55% of the vote. Following the parliamentary election, Tchicaya was elected as President of the National Assembly on August 10, 2002;, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', August 10, 2002 . he received 122 votes from the 128 deputies who voted. Additionally, when the

Pan-African Parliament The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union. It held its inaugural session in March 2004. The Parliament exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, ha ...

began meeting in March 2004, he became one of Congo's five members. Tchicaya was critical of the way the 2007 parliamentary election was organized."Le second tour des législatives au Congo reporté au 5 août"
AFP (afriklive.com), July 20, 2007 . Together with

Justin Lekoundzou Justin Lekoundzou Itihi Ossetoumba (1941 – 25 November 2021) was a Congolese politician. He was a founding member of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT), and during the PCT's single-party rule he held important party and government positions in th ...

, the President of the Parliamentary Group of the Presidential Majority, Tchicaya sent a letter to President Sassou Nguesso on March 24, 2007. In this letter, Tchicaya and Lekoundzou urged the establishment of an independent national electoral commission to oversee the election. In the election, Tchicaya was re-elected as the RDPS candidate from Mvou Mvou 1 constituency in Pointe-Noire."La liste complète des députés"
, ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', August 11, 2007 . He faced seven challengers and prevailed with 55.20% of the vote when the election was held over again in his constituency in July 2007 due to problems that plagued the first attempt. When the National Assembly held its first meeting of the new parliamentary term on September 4, 2007,

Justin Koumba Justin Koumba (born 5 April 1947Willy Mbossa and Roger Ngombé, "Qui sont les nouveaux membres du bureau de l'Assemblée nationale ?", ''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', 8 September 2007 . ) is a Congolese politician who was President of the Nat ...

of the PCT was elected to succeed Tchicaya as President of the National Assembly.

Death

Tchicaya was falsely reported to have died in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in October 2007. He subsequently died at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris on June 20, 2008. Prime Minister

Isidore Mvouba Isidore Mvouba (born 1954John F. Clark and Samuel Decalo, ''Historical Dictionary of Republic of the Congo'', fourth edition (2012), Scarecrow Press, page 305.) is a Congolese politician who was Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville from 2005 to ...

described Tchicaya as a "great statesman" and a "worthy son of our country", and he said that Tchicaya had "always shown great consistency in his commitment to the values of the Republic and democracy" as a deputy in the National Assembly. Tchicaya's body was returned to Brazzaville from Paris on July 4, and he was the subject of an official tribute in the Palace of the Parliament on July 5. His body was then taken to Pointe-Noire on July 5 for his funeral and burial. This was marked by some disorder. Youths in the second ''arrondissement'' of Pointe-Noire initially refused to allow his coffin to be transferred from the Kokolo Copa Stadium to the Franco Anselmi Stadium, which was the site of the funeral, although they surrendered it after negotiations. Some looting and arrests occurred. After the funeral on July 7, he was buried at his family cemetery of Mboukou, located in the city's third ''arrondissement'', Tié-Tié.Frenette Antsoua Loembet
"Les Ponténégrins ont rendu un hommage mérité à Jean-Pierre Thystere Tchicaya"
''Les Dépêches de Brazzaville'', July 11, 2008 .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tchicaya, Jean-Pierre Thystere 1936 births 2008 deaths Presidents of the National Assembly (Republic of the Congo) Members of the National Assembly (Republic of the Congo) Mayors of Pointe-Noire Rally for Democracy and Social Progress politicians