The Democratic Republic of Congo suspended former President Joseph Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy on Saturday, accusing it of complicity with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The government has also charged Kabila with high treason and ordered the seizure of his assets.
Kabila ruled the DRC for 18 years after the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila in 2001 before handing power to Félix Tshisekedi following elections in 2019. The two men fell out in 2020, and Kabila has been living outside the country for the last couple of years. Kabila announced his impending return to the DRC in early April, and he reportedly returned on Friday, landing in the rebel-held eastern town of Goma, “to participate in peace efforts” amid ongoing talks between the DRC and M23. The rebel group has neither confirmed nor denied Kabila’s arrival.
Observers fear that Kabila’s engagement in peace negotiations could inflame tensions. Last year, Tshisekedi accused Kabila of backing the rebels and “preparing an insurrection” with them, a claim he denies.
On Saturday, Kabila’s spokesperson Barbara Nzimbiposted to X that the former president would soon address the nation. We’ll be watching what he says, how Tshisekedi responds, and whether the controversy impedes peace talks with M23.