Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has established a new political-military movement in alliance with the M23 armed group. This partnership aligns the former head of state with the rebel forces that have maintained control over significant portions of the country’s eastern provinces, which have long been plagued by violence.
The formal announcement of the Kabila-M23 tie-up took place at a joint press conference held at Kabila’s personal residence in Goma. M23 rebels have occupied this provincial capital of eastern DRC since January 2025.
Kabila, 55, led the nation from 2001 until 2019. A year ago, a military court sentenced the former leader to death in absentia, citing his alleged "complicity" with the M23 rebels. Furthermore, authorities in Kinshasa have accused Kabila of being a primary founder of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which served as the rebel group's political front before its dissolution.
This development occurs amidst a period of mounting political instability in Kinshasa. President Felix Tshisekedi, 63, who succeeded Kabila, is currently serving his second five-year presidential term, which is set to conclude in 2028. While the Congolese Constitution mandates a strict two-term limit, the governing majority has recently been working to influence public opinion in favor of constitutional amendments that could potentially allow for an extension of the mandate.
The eastern region of the DRC has faced chronic armed violence for over three decades, a period marked by numerous failed regional and international peace initiatives. Notably, a diplomatic accord signed by Kinshasa and Kigali in December under the auspices of Washington has yet to produce any tangible stability in the region.
