Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has returned to the country after two years in self-imposed exile, amid rising political and security tensions in the eastern region. Kabila arrived in Goma, a city currently under the control of the M23 rebel group, whose resurgence has reignited conflict in the mineral-rich east.
His return comes after the Senate stripped him of immunity, citing allegations of supporting the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The Congolese government has accused the former president of war crimes and treason, claiming there is substantial evidence linking him to the rebel group’s activities. Kabila, however, has repeatedly denied any association with M23 and criticized the Congolese justice system, calling it politically manipulated.
Speaking to BBC Swahili, Innocent Mirimo, a youth leader of Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), welcomed the former leader’s return, likening it to “a father returning to his children.” His comments echoed sentiments shared by M23 representatives, including rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, who posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) welcoming Kabila to “liberated areas.”
Kabila, 53, ruled DR Congo for 18 years after taking over from his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001. He stepped down in 2019, handing over power to President Félix Tshisekedi. However, relations between the two soured in subsequent years, and Kabila eventually left the country, residing in South Africa.
Tensions have intensified in recent months as M23 forces have made significant territorial gains, including capturing Goma in January. The group, which resumed fighting in 2021, claims the government failed to honor the terms of a 2013 peace deal. The renewed violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Kabila recently posted and then deleted a video on YouTube labeling the current government a “dictatorship” and warning of a “decline of democracy.” Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya dismissed Kabila’s remarks, saying he had “nothing to offer the country.”
With conflict intensifying and political divisions deepening, Kabila’s controversial return adds another layer of complexity to DR Congo’s already fragile stability.
