Henri-Marie Dondra

Biography Dondra was born 14 August 1966 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is married and has 5 children.

Dondra completed his bachelor's degree (G2 series) at the Cardinal Malula University in Kinshasa from 1984 to 1985. He then obtained a General University Diploma (DEUG) in Law from the University of Bangui in 1988-1989, where he also did a Bachelor's degree in Private Law in 1989-1990. He has also been president of the Professional Association of African Guarantee Institutions (APIGA) since 2014. He was appointed as Minister of Finance and Budget by Touadéra on 11 April 2016 and served that role until 10 June 2021, being reappointed by Simplice Sarandji and Firmin Ngrébada.

In 2019, President Touadéra created his own political party, the United Hearts Movement (MCU). Dondra joined the MCU and became its second national executive secretary, after Sarandji.

Prime minister On 11 June he was named prime minister by the country's presidency the day after the resignation of Firmin Ngrebada. It has been suggested that his 2022 sacking was related to "tensions between pro-Russian and pro-French factions within the government", as Dondra was seen as more pro-French than his predecessor Firmin Ngrébada.

Republican Unity party On November 26 2023, Henri-Marie Dondra announced his intentions of starting a new political party, the Republican Unity Party (French: Unité Républicaine, also known as UNIR), 21 months since his removal from the position of prime minister. The party was officially created on December 5 2023; it is self-described as politically centrist and reformist, voicing support for initiatives to foster peace, social cohesion and entrepreneurship.

2025 Central African general election UNIR officially endorsed Dondra's presidential bid for the 2025 Central African general election in May 2025. Dondra submitted his candidacy on October 8, but was not approved until November 14 due to the incumbent prime minister Faustin-Archange Touadéra accusing him of holding Congolese citizenship. Two of Dondra's brothers were arrested on March 19, leading Dondra to assert the "gradual assassination of our democracy".

The election was held on November 28; according to official results, Dondra received 3.19% of the votes, the 3rd most behind the Touadéra of the Union for Central African Renewal and Anicet-Georges Dologuélé of the United Hearts Movement. Dondra accused the elections of being fraudulent and demanded an annulment of the results on behalf of the UNIR,