Congo-Kinshasa: Ex-DR Congo President Kabila to Lead New 'Politico-Military' Alliance With M23 Rebels

What the report says

Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila has taken a new public role alongside the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement, according to a report from Radio France Internationale published by AllAfrica. The alliance was announced at a press event in Goma, in eastern DRC, at Kabila’s residence, and the new grouping was presented as the Front pour la Refondation de la Nation, or FRN, a “politico-military” movement.

The report says Kabila will lead the alliance, with senior rebel figures serving as deputies. It describes the move as a major escalation in Kabila’s standoff with President Félix Tshisekedi’s government, because it links one of Congo’s most prominent former leaders directly with an armed group that controls territory in the east. Goma has been under M23 control since January 2025, and the report says the stated aim of the new alliance is to end what it calls tyranny, including through force.

Kabila governed Congo from 2001 to 2019 and has largely stayed out of public view since leaving office. The report notes that he was convicted in absentia in 2025 on charges linked to M23, which he denies. Congolese authorities have also accused him of backing an earlier political wing tied to the rebels. More broadly, the development comes amid long-running conflict in eastern Congo, repeated failed peace efforts, and mounting political tension as attention turns toward the 2028 presidential transition. The report also notes that Rwanda denies supporting M23, despite accusations from the UN and Western governments.