Sema Fonkem 11/04/2025

Former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila Kabange says he will be returning home to assist in finding solutions to end the ongoing conflict.

Kabila’s decision comes after 6 years of silence and amid accusations by incumbent president Felix Tshisekedi of his involvement with M23. These claims have been refuted by Kabila and he believes that going back to the DRC is ideal for the restoration of peace in the country.

Early 2025 saw an escalation from the conflict between DRC security forces and militant groups led by the March 23 Movement (M23) forces. So far, key cities in the eastern DRC region Bukavu and Goma have been captured. Approximately one million Congolese citizens are seeking refuge from neighbouring countries while twenty one million others in the country need urgent food and medical aid.

“After six years of total silence and given the worsening security situation, I have resolved to return home without delay to help find a solution,” said Kabila on Tuesday in letter that has been seen by Jeune Afrique. Kabila who has been residing in South Africa since 2019 also added that he will begin his journey back home from the Eastern DRC where the conflict is more intense.

This move by Kabila means that he is stepping up to become active again in the political activities in DRC. He became president in 2001 after the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila and ruled through controversies until 2016. He officially stepped down in 2018 after a peaceful transition. Ever since his resignation, he has not publicly shown interest in DRC political affairs until now.