The Democratic Republic of Congo is moving to strip former President Joseph Kabila of his legal immunity, following accusations that he backed the M23 rebel group currently destabilizing the country’s mineral-rich eastern region. Justice Minister Constant Mutamba announced that there is a “substantial body of documents, testimony, and material facts” linking Kabila to the armed group, which has captured several territories in recent months.
Joseph Kabila, who ruled DR Congo for 18 years after taking over from his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001, has not publicly responded to the latest accusations. In the past, however, he has denied having any connections to M23. As a “senator for life,” a title granted to him after leaving office in 2019, Kabila enjoys legal immunity. To initiate legal proceedings, the military prosecutor has formally requested the senate to revoke this protection.
Kabila, 53, has reportedly been living in South Africa since 2023. Earlier this year, he expressed intentions to return to DR Congo to help resolve the ongoing conflict in the east. Not long after, rumors surfaced that he was spotted in Goma—one of the cities now under M23 control—but these claims were denied by his political party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). The PPRD was subsequently banned by the government for its alleged ambiguous stance on the M23 occupation.
Justice Minister Mutamba, who last month ordered the seizure of Kabila’s assets, has insisted that the former president should return to DR Congo to “face justice” and present his defense in court. Tensions continue to rise as Kabila’s case unfolds against the backdrop of escalating violence in the east, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Meanwhile, DR Congo and neighboring Rwanda, which has long been accused of supporting M23 but denies the claims, may be edging toward a peace agreement. The two countries signed a preliminary accord in Washington last week and are expected to present a draft deal soon.
Joseph Kabila’s political legacy remains controversial. Although he won two elections during his presidency, his refusal to step down at the end of his second term in 2016 led to deadly protests. He stayed in power until 2019, when Félix Tshisekedi was officially declared the winner of the long-delayed election. Opposition leader Martin Fayulu, widely believed to have won the vote, accused Kabila and Tshisekedi of colluding to sideline him—an allegation both leaders denied.
The political alliance between Kabila’s party and Tshisekedi’s administration collapsed in December 2020, further intensifying the power struggle. After stepping back from the political spotlight, Kabila enrolled for doctoral studies in South Africa, and in January 2024, his thesis on African geopolitics involving the US, China, and Russia was validated by the University of Johannesburg.
Leave a comment