Florent Kema

Florent Kema
Member of National Assembly
In office
2016–2021
ConstituencyNana-Bakassa 2
Personal details
PartyKwa Na Kwa
OccupationSoldier
Politician
Military service
RankCorporal
Military career
AllegianceFACA (?–2013)
Anti-balaka (2013–?)
Front for the Defense of Public Liberties (2024–present)
Military Coalition for the Salvation of the People and Recovery (CMSPR) (2024–present)
Conflicts
Central African Republic Civil War

Florent Daniel Kema[1] is a Central African politician and warlord.

Biography

Before the Central African Republic Civil War, Kema was a member of Presidential Guard with a rank of corporal.[2] After the downfall of Bozizé government, he joined Anti-balaka and became its leader in Bowaye.[3] As a member of the Anti-balaka group of Bowaye, he led the 2nd attack of Bossangoa on 5 December 2013 and ordered his militias to kill all Muslims.[4][5] In 2015, he was reportedly served as Anti-balaka regional coordinator.[1]

On the 2016 election, Kema was elected as a member of National Assembly for 2016-2021 period representing Nana-Bakassa 2.[6][7] As an MP, he was one of the two deputies who opposed the bill establishing the Special Criminal Court, arguing that security had to be fully restored before prosecuting a person, and voted against the removal of Karim Meckassoua from the speaker position.[8] On 29 October 2018, he was reportedly arrested alongside Thierry Vackat and Aristide Symphorien Nampessa when they left the parliament building after Yekatom showed his pistol and fired two shots. The security guards arrested them because they possessed weapons in their cars.[9] However, he denied the arrest report and only heard the news after receiving calls from relatives and friends.[10] Kema was reelected as an MP representing Nana-Bakassa on the 2020-2021 election from Kwa Na Kwa Party.[11] However, the Constitutional Court nullified his victory since he was a former member of Anti-balaka.[12][13]

Kema later formed Front for the Defense of Public Liberties (FDLP) in early 2024 and became its leader due to his frustration over the court annulment of his victory in the election.[14] Under his leadership, FDLP joined CPC-Fundamental (CPC-F) coalition established by Ali Darassa. However, the group left CPC-F due to the lack of clarification of the coalition leadership.[15] Afterward, FDLP joined the Military Coalition for the Salvation of the People and Recovery (CMSPR) under the command of Armel Sayo and Kema was appointed as its chief of staff on 30 October 2024.[16] Within the CMSPR, he led the group's attack in Bodjomo on 3 February 2025 and Balaka on 25 February.[17][18]

References

  1. 1 2 UN Security Council (December 2015). Letter dated 21 December 2015 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to Security Council resolution 2196 (2015) addressed to the President of the Security Council (PDF) (Report). p. 153. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  2. ↑ ICC 2024, p. 6.
  3. ↑ ICC 2024, p. 13.
  4. ↑ ICC (13 March 2023). SITUATION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC II IN THE CASE OF THE PROSECUTOR v. MAXIME JEOFFROY ELI MOKOM GAWAKA (PDF) (Report). p. 11. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  5. ↑ ICC 2024, p. 8.
  6. ↑ UN Security Council (9 August 2016). Letter dated 9 August 2016 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to Security Council resolution 2262 (2016) addressed to the President of the Security Council (PDF) (Report). p. 8. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  7. ↑ CorbeauNews, CorbeauNews (24 March 2017). "CENTRAFRIQUE: LISTE DES DEPUTES DE LA 6e LEGISLATURE 2016-2021". corbeaunews-centrafrique.org. Corbeau News Centrafrique. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  8. ↑ RFI, RFI (30 May 2018). "RCA: la Cour pénale spéciale désormais autorisée à enquêter". rfi.fr. RFI. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  9. ↑ RJDH, RJDH. "Centrafrique : Quatre députés arrêtés après la perturbation par arme du vote du nouveau président". centrafrique-presse.over-blog.com. RJDH. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  10. ↑ RJDH, RJDH. "Centrafrique : Les Députés, Kema Florent et Nampessa Symphorien portent un démenti sur leur arrestation". news.abangui.com. RJDH. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  11. ↑ Oubangui Medias, Oubangui Medias (28 April 2021). "Liste de tous les députés déjà élus pour la 7e législature". oubanguimedias.com. Oubangui Medias. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  12. ↑ Ben Ahmed, Lassaad. "Centrafrique : démarrage de la septième législature avec 90 députés sur 140". aa.com.tr. Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  13. ↑ Moloma, Gisèle (3 May 2021). "RCA : incroyable décision de la cour constitutionnelle, la victoire du candidat Florent Kema vient d'être invalidée". corbeaunews-centrafrique.org. Corbeau News Centrafrique. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Nzilo, Alain (31 March 2024). "Création d'un nouveau groupe armé en Centrafrique : Front de défense des libertés". corbeaunews-centrafrique.org. Corbeau News Centrafrique. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  15. ↑ CorbeauNews, CorbeauNews (6 November 2024). "Le Front de Défense et des Libertés Publiques quitte la coalition CPC-F". corbeaunews-centrafrique.org. Corbeau News Centrafrique. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  16. ↑ MINUSCA (December 2024). DIVISION DES DROITS DE L'HOMME Rapport Mensuel:Situation des droits de l'homme Décembre 2024 (PDF) (Report). p. 8. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  17. ↑ UN Security Council 2025, p. 13.
  18. ↑ UN Security Council 2025, p. 55.

Bibliography

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