Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) President Joseph Kabila has been appointed head of a newly established rebel alliance seeking to remove the administration of President Félix Tshisekedi.
The coalition, known as the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), announced its formation on Monday, declaring its intention to unite opposition fighters against what it described as authoritarian rule.
The organisation said it was prepared to use force if necessary to achieve its objectives.
The development signals Kabila’s apparent direct participation in an armed political movement, a year after a Congolese court sentenced him to death in absentia over treason allegations.
The former president had previously rejected accusations linking him to the M23 insurgency.
Claude Ibalanky, an adviser to the new alliance, unveiled its leadership during a media briefing at Kabila’s residence in Goma, a major city in eastern DR Congo currently controlled by M23 fighters.
Footage released by the coalition showed Kabila signing documents alongside other senior figures during the group’s formal launch.
M23 commander Sultani Makenga has been appointed one of four deputies to the former president.
The remaining deputy positions have also been assigned to individuals associated with the AFC-M23 alliance, which captured extensive areas of the country’s mineral-rich eastern region last year.
The coalition’s emergence follows a recent address by Kabila, in which he promised to outline measures Congolese citizens could take to reclaim their country.
Speaking on Friday, he accused Tshisekedi’s administration of ignoring proposals he submitted last year to resolve the prolonged fighting in the east.
He also alleged that the government had weakened constitutional governance, mishandled the economy and failed to restore public security.
Kabila further accused the authorities of carrying out unjustified detentions involving political rivals and military personnel.
The government has yet to issue a public response to his allegations.
The 55-year-old former leader governed DR Congo from 2001 until January 2019, when Tshisekedi assumed office following a disputed presidential election.
Although the two men initially maintained an informal power-sharing arrangement after the transfer of authority, their relationship eventually deteriorated.
Kabila went into self-imposed exile in 2023 before returning to Goma last year, subsequently becoming more vocal in his criticism of the current administration.
The latest political development comes amid persistent instability across eastern DR Congo, where more than 100 armed groups operate amid ethnic rivalries, struggles for political influence and competition over valuable mineral deposits.
The United Nations and several Western governments have accused Rwanda of providing assistance to M23 and exercising control over the rebel movement.
Kigali rejects allegations of supporting the insurgents, maintaining that its military involvement in the region is intended to counter security threats from Congolese armed factions.
Meanwhile, concerns are growing over the country’s political future ahead of the end of Tshisekedi’s second term in 2028.
In May, the president suggested that elections scheduled for that year might not take place because of the ongoing conflict. He also indicated a willingness to pursue another term if supported by the population.
Parliament has since approved legislation that could facilitate a referendum on proposed constitutional changes, potentially removing the existing two-term presidential limit.
The proposal has sparked opposition, with security forces confronting demonstrators during protests against the planned changes in the capital last month.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong