Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has announced his decision to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help resolve the crisis in the war-torn eastern region, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized large swaths of territory, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands of people since January.
Kabila’s return is expected to be contentious, especially given the strained relationship between him and current President Felix Tshisekedi, who has accused Kabila of backing the rebels.
Kabila, who was in office for nearly 20 years and refused to step down when his final term expired in 2016, plans to start by addressing the situation in the eastern region.
He has been reaching out to opposition politicians and civil society members to discuss the country’s future, amid criticism of Tshisekedi’s response to the M23 campaign.
Kabila came to power after his father’s assassination and left the country in 2023, living in South Africa and other African countries.
The power-sharing deal between Tshisekedi and Kabila, formed after the 2018 election, has soured over time, with Tshisekedi accusing Kabila of blocking reforms and sponsoring the M23 insurgency.
