The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suspended the political party of former president Joseph Kabila, intensifying a growing rift between the ex-leader and current President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration. In a statement dated Saturday, the interior ministry announced the suspension of the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), citing Kabila’s “overt activism” and “ambiguous attitude” toward the M23 armed rebellion in the country’s volatile east.
Kabila, who ruled the country for 18 years before stepping down in 2019, remains the head of the PPRD. Authorities accuse him of backing an opposition alliance linked to the M23 rebel group, which has recently intensified attacks in eastern Congo, capturing key cities including Goma and Bukavu. The government has claimed that M23 is supported by neighboring Rwanda an allegation Rwanda has repeatedly denied.
The DRC government also condemned Kabila’s decision to allegedly re-enter the country via Goma, an area currently influenced by M23 forces. Interior ministry officials labeled this move a “deliberate choice” that raises suspicions about his alignment with the rebels. They further accused Kabila of failing to condemn the M23 rebellion, and of maintaining silence over what they termed a “Rwandan war of aggression.”
In the days leading up to the suspension, security forces raided Kabila’s farm east of Kinshasa and another family compound in the capital. While Kabila himself has not made a public appearance, a message circulated by his staff in early April said he planned to return to Congo because the country was “in peril.” Unconfirmed reports suggest he may already be in Goma.
Meanwhile, the DRC’s justice ministry has asked the chief prosecutor to begin legal proceedings against Kabila for alleged involvement with M23. The PPRD has yet to respond publicly to the suspension or the mounting accusations.
This development marks a significant escalation in political tensions within the DRC, as the country grapples with ongoing insecurity in the east and a fragile post-electoral climate following the 2023 presidential election.
