Mpanzu Bamenga

Mpanzu Bamenga is a Dutch politician who currently serves as a member of the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) for the D66 party. Here are some key details about him:

Background and Early Life

Mpanzu Bamenga was born on July 12, 1985 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo).12 In 1994, at the age of 8, he fled to the Netherlands as a refugee with his mother and brother.13

Education and Career

Bamenga studied law, global development issues, and European immigration and asylum law.3 He has worked in various roles related to refugee rights, diversity and inclusion, including:

• Coordinator and Team Manager at Regiegroep Ongedocumenteerden Amsterdam
• Senior Policy Advisor on Diversity & Inclusivity at Leiden University
• Coordinator at Den Haag Wereldhuis/Stek
• Legal advisor at Vluchtelingen in de Knel (Refugees in Distress)

Political Career

• From 2014 to 2022, Bamenga served as a city council member in Eindhoven for D66.23
• In 2018, he filed a complaint about ethnic profiling and later won a lawsuit against the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, resulting in a ban on ethnic profiling at border controls.3
• On December 6, 2023, Bamenga became a member of the House of Representatives for D66.12

Current Role

As a member of the House of Representatives, Bamenga focuses on issues including infrastructure and water management, natural gas in Groningen, development cooperation, Kingdom relations, and combating discrimination and integration.1 He is involved in various parliamentary committees, including Foreign Affairs, Justice and Security, and Social Affairs and Employment.3

Bamenga's political work is driven by his personal experiences and his commitment to creating a just society where people are treated equally regardless of their background.3