Paul Bolya or Bolya Ifekwa Lobok'ete (10 October 1924 – 2002) was a Congolese politician and leader of a faction in the nationalist movement in the Belgian Congo before independence.
Biography
Paul Bolya was born on 10 October 1924 in Bengale, Équateur Province, Belgian Congo, to a Mongo family.[1] In Bamanya he undertook six years of study at the Ecole Primaire des Missionnaires du Scare-Coeur and a further four at the Ecole Normale des Freres des Ecoles Chretiennes, graduating with his certification as a teacher. In 1948 he earned his certification as a medical assistant.[2] He also undertook a training course at the Institut de médecine tropicale d'Anvers and served as an instructor at the École des Assistants médicaux de Léopoldville.[1]
Political career
First Congolese government
At the Constituent Congress of Coquilhatville in November 1959 Bolya became the president of the Parti National du Progrès (PNP).[1] He represented the PNP at the Belgo-Congolese Round Table Conference and was the first delegate to formally propose the adoption of a resolution for Congolese independence.[3] He was chosen to be one of the vice presidents of the talks.[4] Bolya served on the Executive Board to the Governor General from March to June 1960.[1] In May he was selected as a member of the Union des Mongo (UNIMO) to be a senator on behalf of Équateur Province.[5]
Bolya was considered for the post of Minister of Health in the first Congolese government but ended up serving as a minister of state.[6] From 12 September to October 10 he briefly served as Minister of Health under Prime Minister Joseph Ileo. In February 1961 he was made Minister of Public Service, a post he held until 2 August, when was made Secretary of State for Justice. He returned to his position as Minister of Health on 11 July 1962.[7]
In 1997 Laurent-Désiré Kabila seized control of the Congo. Afterwards he created a commission to draft a new constitution for the country. Bolya was appointed to the commission.[8]
