I know it’s very hard to answer such a question but I am still going to ask  . Who do you think is the best Musical Arranger among these Great Musicians?:

1. Souzy Kaseya  
 
2. Rigo Star

3. Lokwa Kanza

4. Maika Munan

5. Sec Bidens

6. Shakara Mutela

7. Bongo Wende

8. Alain Makaba

9. Al Nzimbi

Remember that musical arrangement is often based on the needs of the Producer or the Singer or the band. This being said, an arranger is not there to do anything he wants. An arranger can work on a music composed by someone else or start the work from the beginning.  Please note that a good arranger is also capable of playing several instruments.
Do not focus on their talents when it comes to playing Guitar, but focus on structure of the song, how the instruments and voices are well harmonized, the choice of the instruments, the tempo of the song, etc.

I can provide you with a few references for those of you who have never had a chance of listening to the work of these guys.

1. Souzy Kaseya:  all Tshala Muana albums from mid-eighties to the end of the nineties, Mbilia   
    Bel (Welcome)

2. Rigo Star: Mbilia Bel (Manzil-manzil), Reddy Amisi  (Queen Lina)

3. Lokwa Kanza: all his songs, Papa Wemba (show me the way, Rail on)

4. Maika Munan: all his songs, Fally Ipupa (I forgot the album)

5. Sec Bidens: Dindo Yogo (plus d’amour), papa Wemba (Bakala Dia Kuba)

6. Shakara Mutela: Bobongo Stars band (Garuwa), Papa Wemba (le voyageur), Stino Mubi (Romeo et Juliette)

7. Bongo Wende: Stino (MJ Ngoy), Most the songs from Nouvelle Generation

8. Alain Makaba: Most of the songs (or maybe all the songs) from Wenge 4x4

9. Al Nzimbi: JB Mpiana (feu de l’amour)

Rigo Star did also arrange Koffi's first albums Ngounda till Les Prissoniers Dorment and Maika Munan did also arrange Koffi's masterpiece albums Noblesse Oblige, V12 and Loi.

The best arrangers for me are Maika Munan and Alain Makaba. I wonder how he managed Werrason and Aldophe Dominguez in the studio.

It's quite difficult to say who is better all of them are good as each other but obviously with different weakness too but I prefer Maika Munan because he brings that organic rumba sounds for instance a song like Itinaire of Koffi the arrangement in that is brilliant and also Soul Gbemani of Papa Wemba and Prince de Southfork of Fally he brings some thing different to the table Maika I respect him a lot.

Sec Bidens is also similar to Maika Munan so there's no point of going to depth with him just listen to Conscience Bela.

Alain Makaba true great, if Wenge is where it is today it's also because of this man, from Mulolo to Titanic his arranged most songs and I do believe Wenge miss his artistic presence because they are not able to sing as good as they can anymore such a shame.

Al Nzimbi top top top arranger listen to M'zeefulangenge that album, in my opinion it's a avant-garde album mixed with many musical genres all arranged by him and another pro of his the electronic effect he brings like the programming on F'eux de L'amour but other his arranged great albums like A La queue Leu Leu, Titanic, A La Une and many others.

a. I wonder how he managed Werrason and Aldophe Dominguez in the studio.

ah ngai ehhhhh

Yes...I knew it was hard to say who the best is. If I were to pick three music Arrangers among all these guys, I’ll go for Souzy, Maika and Rigo Star...why? Musically speaking, these Guys have worked with almost all the generations (Afrisa, Zaiko, Viva, Wenge and today Ferre and Fally). They know a lot in world music, play several instruments and keep your music style. If Rigo Star arranges three different songs from three different Singers, you‘ll never notice a similarity. Rigo Star also performs in Maika Munan’s albums; this show how great the guy is. When Mbilia Bel left Afrisa, most her albums were composed and arranged by Rigo Star; he played almost all the instruments in Manzil-Manzil (please listen to that song again).

I have a lot of respect for all these guys because they work hard to make you a STAR.
I would suggest to Money Wasters (LES SAPEURS  ) to start giving money during a concerts to these guys instead of band Leaders. Their job is the most difficult because they have to find what will make people fall in love with a song.

From your list, I would vote for Alain Makaba. But I have to admit I don't know the others. I don't know which album they have arranged. But it is sure after Alain Makaba left Wenge, the band was not like it was before. I don't want to say it became worse, just that he truly had a great impact on their albums, and it was a good impact.

By the way, from recent, still efficient arrangers I would definately pick Roga Roga. He is mentioned on several albums as the coordinator, along with Espe Bass. Even if I am not 100% satisfied with his recent albums, they have been doing a decent job since the mid 1990's, when the band started releasing records.

Makaba......no debate.

I'll go with
1- Alain Makaba
2- Mbuta Matima( Zaiko's album of the late 90's up to his death in 96)
3-Al Zimbi(feux de l'amour and songs in Fula ngenge
4- Souzy Kaseya( Franc Congolais, Kabila's farewell song,Welcome Mbilia, Malu)

Makaba......no debate.

Except from Wenge 4x4, did Makaba arrange for other Congolese Artists? I mean arranging a whole album...not just playing solo guitar.

I love and miss this types of discussions, Maika Munan , Sec Bidens and Roga would be my top three.

I love and miss this types of discussions, Maika Munan , Sec Bidens and Roga would be my top three.

Maika is big. You should listen his own albums. He is also a very good Singer (solo and chorus)...some people do not know that.

Do you know that these Singers do not touch an instrument while recording but they are good arranging a song with mimics and their voices? They even tell guitarists what to do and how to play  . Madilu (RIP), Kester (RIP), Papa Wemba, Evoloko Joker, JB Mpiana, etc. I’ve seen Papa Wemba playing acoustic guitar but he never plays when recording (he is not good).

Another tough question but to answer, I would put Alain Makaba as number one then Maika Munan, Al Nzimbi, and Sec Bidens , especially for their work with Papa Wemba and Al Nzimbi and Bidens for their work with clan Wenge bands which have dominated Congolese music.
Credit is also in order to the likes of Jean Goulbald and Lokwa Kanza for their own style of Congolese music which is full of rich content about life. Do Akongo, Eldorado cannot be ignored too as they have contributed a lot to Koffi and clan Quartier Latin musicians.

Do you know that these Singers do not touch an instrument while recording but they are good arranging a song with mimics and their voices? They even tell guitarists what to do and how to play  . Madilu (RIP), Kester (RIP), Papa Wemba, Evoloko Joker, JB Mpiana, etc. I’ve seen Papa Wemba playing acoustic guitar but he never plays when recording (he is not good).

That would explain why some Band leaders like to use younger creative guitarist who are less stubborn, I've seen a vocalist call off a recording session because the soloist would not play to his liking.