DR Congo Ex-President Kabila Named Leader Of New Rebel Group Seeking To Oust Government

The announcement marks the clearest indication yet of Kabila’s direct involvement in a new armed political movement, nearly a year after he was sentenced to death in absentia for treason.

A former Democratic Republic of Congo President, Joseph Kabila, has been named leader of a new rebel coalition seeking to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi’s government, as fighting continues in the country’s mineral-rich eastern region.

The BBC reported that the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) announced the coalition on Monday at a press conference held at Kabila’s residence in Goma, a major city in eastern DR Congo currently controlled by the M23 rebel group.

The coalition said it would unite what it described as “resistance forces” to end what it called “tyranny” in the country. It also declared that it would pursue its objectives “by all means, including force.”

The announcement marks the clearest indication yet of Kabila’s direct involvement in a new armed political movement, nearly a year after he was sentenced to death in absentia for treason. 

The former president had previously denied links to the M23 rebels.

M23 leader Sultani Makenga has been named one of four deputies in the new coalition. 

The other three deputies also come from the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)-M23 alliance, which seized large parts of eastern DR Congo last year.

The development followed a recent address by Kabila in which he promised to explain how Congolese citizens could act to “rescue” their country. 

On Friday, he accused Tshisekedi’s administration of ignoring proposals he submitted last year to help resolve the conflict in the east.

Kabila also accused the government of weakening constitutional rule, mismanaging the economy and failing to provide adequate security. 

He further alleged that political opponents and military officers had been subjected to arbitrary arrests. 

The government had not publicly responded to the allegations or commented on the formation of the new coalition at the time of the BBC report.

Kabila, 55, governed DR Congo from 2001 until January 2019, when Tshisekedi took office following a disputed election. 

After remaining largely out of public view for several years, he has increasingly criticised his successor’s administration.

The coalition’s emergence adds another development to a conflict that has destabilised eastern DR Congo for decades. More than 100 militia groups operate in the region, where armed violence is driven by ethnic tensions, political rivalries and competition for valuable natural resources.

The political situation has also raised questions about the country’s next elections. Tshisekedi’s second term is due to end in 2028, but he said in May that elections scheduled for that year might not take place because of the ongoing conflict. He also indicated that he could seek a third term if the public supported him.

Parliament has since passed a bill that could pave the way for a referendum on changes to the constitution’s two-term presidential limit. The proposed changes have triggered opposition, with authorities clashing with protesters during demonstrations in the capital last month.

The formation of the FRN now places Kabila at the head of a coalition that includes senior figures from the M23-led alliance, raising further questions about the direction of the conflict and the prospects for peace in eastern DR Congo.