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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially prohibited the activities of the political party led by former President Joseph Kabila, amid allegations of his association with the M23 rebel group, which has captured significant territories in the eastern region of the country this year.
This ban takes place alongside reports of Kabila’s return to the DRC after a two-year stay in South Africa. He is believed to have arrived in Goma, a city that has been under the control of the Rwandan-backed M23 since January.
Joseph Kabila governed the DRC for 18 years, ascending to power after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila, in 2001, when he was only 29 years old. The interior ministry has stated that the actions of Kabila’s party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), were revoked due to what it described as an “ambiguous attitude” toward the ongoing occupation of Congolese land by the M23. Furthermore, it pointed out Kabila’s choice to return to Goma, where he was purportedly under the protection of the “enemy.”
As of now, Kabila has remained silent regarding the government’s accusations of high treason and the subsequent order to confiscate his property. He has consistently denied any ties to the M23 and has not officially confirmed his return to the DRC. However, he did express earlier this month an intention to return to his home country. Some senior officials from the PPRD have also denied that he is currently in Goma.
In a noteworthy development, Kabila’s spokesperson, Barbara Nzimbi, announced on X that he would soon address the nation. On a related note, a spokesperson for the M23 was asked about Kabila’s presence in Goma but did not provide a definitive answer, merely stating, “I don’t see any problem him being here.”
Who is Joseph Kabila?
Kabila assumed the presidency following his father’s assassination and went on to win two elections. His second term officially concluded in December 2016; however, Kabila chose not to relinquish power, claiming that organizing elections was not feasible, which led to widespread protests. He remained in office for two additional years until elections were finally held in 2018.
In January 2019, he ceded power to Félix Tshisekedi, who was declared the official victor of a contentious election that many observers felt had been rightfully won by Martin Fayulu. Fayulu has accused Kabila and Tshisekedi of colluding to exclude him from power, a claim that both Kabila and Tshisekedi have denied. Subsequently, tensions escalated, leading to the dissolution of their political coalition in December 2020. Kabila left the DRC in 2023 under the pretext of pursuing his studies in South Africa. Later, in January 2024, his doctoral thesis on the geopolitical dynamics of Africa’s relations with the US, China, and Russia was approved at the University of Johannesburg.
Why has Kabila returned?
In a written announcement, Kabila stated that his decision to return was driven by a commitment to help address the escalating institutional and security challenges facing the DRC. He expressed to the French-language publication Jeune Afrique his desire to “play a role in seeking a solution” following his years of retreat and a year spent in exile.
Political economist Ben Radley from Bath University highlighted the close ties between Kabila and Corneille Nangaa, the leader of the political faction including the M23, who previously served as head of the electoral commission under Kabila. He noted that this historical connection plays a significant role in the perceptions of many Congolese regarding Kabila’s return, drawing parallels to his father’s own rise to power from the east in the late 1990s.
More about the conflict in DR Congo from the BBC:
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