DRC: Former President Joseph Kabila takes the lead of an armed alliance with the M23

Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, formalized his alliance with the anti-government armed group M23 by taking the lead of a new political-military structure on October 12, 2026. According to France 24, this coalition is named the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation. The announcement was made from Goma, the eastern Congolese metropolis under rebel control, where the former head of state appeared publicly alongside the movement's leadership.

Aged 55 and having led the country between 2001 and 2019, Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for treason and war crimes in late September 2025 by his country's military justice system. Authorities had already accused him of being linked to the Congo River Alliance, a political branch now integrated into and dissolved within the new movement. The leaders of this coalition state that they intend to use all means, including force, against the Kinshasa government.

This initiative comes in a highly tense political climate in Kinshasa, where President Félix Tshisekedi is theoretically reaching the end of his second and final term in 2028. Plans for constitutional revision considered by the presidential camp to seek a third five-year term are sparking fierce popular protest. Opposition demonstrations in June and September were harshly repressed, leading to clashes and loss of life reported notably by the United Nations.

The eastern Congo has remained mired in chronic violence for three decades, exacerbated by the M23 offensive in early 2025 which led to the capture of the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu. Despite diplomatic processes under American or Qatari mediation, the negotiated ceasefires have remained ineffective on the ground. The formal emergence of this political-military coalition increases the risks of direct confrontation for control of institutions and territories.

Our perspective

The dignity and sovereignty of the Congolese people cannot be held hostage by political infighting and armed agendas. While civilians in the East have endured decades of tragedy, the country's future requires strict respect for constitutional democracy, justice, and an end to the foreign interference that is tearing the nation apart.