Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have begun efforts to strip former President Joseph Kabila of his legal immunity, accusing him of supporting the M23 rebel group operating in the country’s troubled eastern region.
Justice Minister Constant Mutamba announced on Wednesday that there is a “substantial body of documents, testimonies, and material evidence” connecting Kabila to the M23 movement. Following major territorial gains earlier this year, the M23 movement currently controls parts of the resource-rich east.
Kabila, 53, has not responded to the latest allegations, though he has previously denied any association with the insurgent group.
Having ruled DR Congo for 18 years after taking office following the 2001 assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila, Joseph Kabila stepped down in 2019 and was granted the status of “senator for life”—a title that affords him prosecutorial immunity.
To pursue charges against the former president, the country’s military prosecutor has now formally requested that the senate revoke this protection.
Reports last month claimed that Kabila had returned to DR Congo after a two-year stay in South Africa, including a visit to the M23-controlled city of Goma. However, his political party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), has denied these claims.
The situation adds another layer of political tension in DR Congo, where insecurity in the eastern provinces continues to destabilize the region and strain relations with neighboring countries.
