NAIROBI, Kenya — The Democratic Republic of Congo is turning up the heat on its former strongman.
In a dramatic twist to the country’s mounting eastern conflict, the government has launched a bid to strip ex-President Joseph Kabila of lifetime immunity so he can face trial over alleged support for the Rwandan-backed M23 insurgency.
It’s a move that’s as politically charged as it is historic—coming just days before a U.S.-mediated peace deal is due for drafting and as Kabila signals a possible return from exile. The timing? Impeccable. Or, depending on who you ask, suspicious.
DRC Government Alleges War Crimes, Pushes for Immunity Lift
On Wednesday night in Kinshasa, Justice Minister Constant Mutamba announced that the Congolese military prosecutor has officially requested the Senate to revoke Kabila’s immunity.
The former president, who ruled for 17 years and is now a senator-for-life, faces allegations ranging from war crimes to massacres of civilians and military personnel.
Mutamba didn’t mince words. “We have clear and compelling evidence,” he said, urging Kabila to return and face trial or risk being prosecuted in absentia.
The charges stem from Kabila’s alleged links to the M23 rebels, who’ve seized large swaths of eastern Congo in recent months. The rebel group is widely believed to be backed by neighboring Rwanda—a claim Kigali has consistently denied.
The eastern DRC remains one of the most volatile regions in Africa, not least because of its rich mineral deposits, which include cobalt and coltan, essential for the global tech supply chain.
Kabila in Exile as Peace Deal Deadline Approache
Since late 2023, Kabila has mostly kept a low profile in South Africa, although he declared in April that he was ready to return home to help “resolve the crisis.” That promise, however, could backfire.
His reappearance may further complicate peace efforts, especially as the DRC and Rwanda scramble to finalize a draft peace accord by May 2, per an agreement brokered in Washington on April 25.
While the deal aims to halt military support to armed groups and create a pathway to peace, it remains unclear whether anything concrete will be signed by the deadline—and what exactly the terms would entail.
As diplomatic efforts press on, tensions back home have escalated. Last month, Congo’s interior ministry suspended Kabila’s political party, while the justice ministry threatened to seize his assets, along with those of his party’s leadership. That’s a full-court press by any measure.
Opposition Cries Foul, Calls Move Politically Motivate
Not everyone is buying the government’s narrative. Ferdinand Kambere, permanent secretary of Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), slammed the immunity-lifting push as a political vendetta by President Félix Tshisekedi, Kabila’s longtime rival.
“This is a sign of fear,” Kambere said, arguing that the ruling party wants to neutralize Kabila’s influence as the eastern crisis spirals.
Kabila’s refusal to step down in 2016 sparked deadly protests before he eventually handed over power after the 2018 elections. His shadow still looms large over Congolese politics, and this latest saga could either end in legal precedent—or political chaos.
