ABOUT
A Brief Biography
Diambi Kabatusuila is the traditional monarch of the Bakwa Luntu people in the Kingdom of Luba, situated in the southern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her full title, Mukalenga Mukaji wa Nkashama wa Bakwa Luntu wa Baluba wa Congo, translates to "The Woman King of the Order of the Leopard People of the Bakwa Luntu People." The Luntu people reside in the Kasai region, an area historically significant for its pre-colonial Central African state, the Kingdom of Luba, which existed from 1585 to 1889.
Born in Belgium as Diambi Kabatusuila Tshiyoyo Muata, her name signifies "the bearer of good news." Her exact birth date remains unknown. With a Belgian mother and a Congolese diplomat father, she spent her early years in Kinshasa. Political instability under the Mobutu regime forced her family to relocate to Europe in the mid-1980s.
Academically accomplished, Queen Diambi graduated as the valedictorian from the College of Staten Island, City University of New York, with a B.A. in business finance and economics in 1992. She further obtained an M.A. in psychology and mental health counseling from Lynn University in Florida, followed by a doctorate in public administration from Adam Smith University of America in the Northern Mariana Islands. She later moved to Belgium to be near her parents, where she married and had two sons. Despite her parents returning to Congo, she stayed in Belgium for an additional eleven years before moving to Florida. There, she worked as a children's mental health therapist, a substance addiction specialist, a psychotherapist, and a professor, teaching math and French in an international
baccalaureate program.
VISION
“Every human being on the planet will find some link to Africa in their DNA”
Receiving the Crown
In 2016, during a visit to her father in Dimbelenge, Kasai, she discovered her royal lineage. She learned that her grandmother was Princess Tshilomba, the daughter of King Tshiyoyo Muata, and that she was named after her great-grandmother, Queen Diambi. Despite her father declining the kingship in 2006, the Bakwa Indu elders selected Diambi as their next ruler. Upon accepting this role, she was crowned minutes later, becoming the modern-day Woman King.
Queen Diambi was officially crowned by the Bakwa Luntu Chiefs in July 2017 and was formally invested and enthroned in Kinshasa on August 5, 2017, by the Association of Congo Tradition and Customary Authorities. On March 3, 2019, she was also crowned Queen Mother of the Bantu People of Brazil in Salvador de Bahia and received the Tiradentes Medal, the highest honor from the Brazilian Parliament.
As a philanthropist, Queen Diambi founded The Elikia Hope Foundation, which provides essential resources such as water, medical care, and education to over 40,000 homeless children in Kinshasa. An environmental advocate, she has addressed global leaders about the dangers of various forms of waste to both the environment and public health.
Queen Diambi's reign is marked by a profound commitment to her people and a vision for a better future that transcends borders. Her philanthropic efforts through The Elikia Hope Foundation have brought vital resources to thousands, showcasing her dedication to humanitarian causes. As an environmental advocate, she has passionately spoken on the global stage, emphasizing the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Queen Diambi continues to inspire with her leadership, bridging cultural divides, and promoting unity and progress for the African diaspora and beyond. Her legacy is one of resilience, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of justice and prosperity for all.