In brief
Joseph Kabila, who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2019, is now leading the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a coalition that calls for an armed uprising against President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration. The FRN claims it will employ all means, including force, to end what it calls the government’s tyranny. Kabila’s move follows accusations that he has been supporting rebel factions such as M23 and that he was sentenced to death in absentia for treason last year. This development comes amid ongoing violence in eastern DRC, where multiple militia groups vie for control of mineral resources and political power.
Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila has been announced as the leader of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a newly formed rebel coalition that seeks to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi’s government.
The FRN pledges to coordinate “resistance forces” to end the government’s “tyranny” and will pursue its objective by all means, including force, according to a statement released during a press conference at Kabila’s residence in Goma, the eastern city currently under M23 influence.
Kabila’s designation as head of the coalition marks the first clear evidence of his direct involvement in an armed movement since he was sentenced to death in absentia for treason a year ago. The former president has previously denied links to the M23 rebel group.
Government officials have not yet commented on the development. The FRN’s leadership roster includes four deputies, several of whom hail from the AFC‑M23 alliance that seized large swaths of mineral‑rich eastern territory last year.
In a speech just days earlier, Kabila accused the Tshisekedi administration of ignoring his proposals to end the eastern conflict, undermining constitutional rule, mismanaging the economy, and failing to improve security while accusing the state of arbitrary arrests of political opponents and military officers.
Kabila, 55, had previously ruled from 2001 until January 2019 when Tshisekedi took office following a disputed election. The two had once been political allies but fell out when Kabila went into self‑imposed exile in 2023 before returning to Goma last year.
The emergence of the FRN has further complicated an already precarious security environment, where more than 100 militia groups operate in eastern DRC, contesting ethnic tensions and control over lucrative resources. The United Nations and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, a claim Rwanda denies, while the Tshisekedi administration predicts that elections scheduled for 2028 may be postponed due to conflict, and has considered a referendum to remove the constitutional two‑term limit.
