Congo's ex-President Kabila joins forces with M23 rebels against Tshisekedi
Joseph Kabila has launched a political and military front in Goma that includes the M23. Its goal is to end "tyranny," by force if necessary.
Archive image · Photo: MONUSCO / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has openly taken the lead of a coalition opposed to the government in Kinshasa. At a news conference late Monday at his residence in Goma, he unveiled the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN). It brings together rebel groups formerly united under the Congo River Alliance (AFC), including M23. The alliance's former leader, Corneille Nangaa, is set to become one of four vice presidents. Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, has been held by M23 since early 2025.
The aim is to "unite and coordinate all resistance forces in order to put an end to tyranny — by any means necessary," coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky said, according to The Associated Press and Al Jazeera. President Félix Tshisekedi's government gave no immediate reaction. Yvon Muya, a researcher at the University of Ottawa, expects a direct confrontation between the two men: "We will likely witness an escalation on the military front." Analysts warn the move further complicates the peace process.
Kabila ruled the country from 2001 to 2019. Last year, a high military court sentenced him to death in absentia for treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity; Kabila denies the charges and calls the case politically motivated. The United States sanctioned him earlier this year. Kinshasa, Washington and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which Rwanda denies. Under U.S. pressure, the government and M23 have been holding talks in Qatar, with a meeting expected in November.