Former Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph Kabila has defended his decision to remain in Goma, a city currently under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group, saying his presence there is within his rights.
Kabila’s return from exile to Goma in May 2025 raised questions after authorities in Kinshasa sentenced him to death and stripped him of his immunity over alleged ties to the AFC/M23 fighting the Congolese army.
“Goma is my home. I am receiving you in the house I bought in 1999,” he said. “The relentless attacks against my political family and me began in 2019, well before the AFC/M23 was even formed.”
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He emphasized that his presence in Goma reflects his constitutional rights, including the freedom to engage with anyone he chooses.
“I believe I have the right to be in contact and speak with all Congolese people, with the primary objective of fostering unity and seeking peace. For me, it’s even a mission,” added Kabila.
Although Joseph Kabila has not openly backed or accepted collaboration with the AFC/M23, he called on all Congolese to come together and remove the administration in Kinshasa under President Félix Tshisekedi.
“As I said last May, we must put an end to this dictatorship, this tyranny that has taken hold,” he responded while speaking on his future vision.
“To achieve this, we must mobilize and raise awareness among all Congolese people, whether they are in exile or within the country. This must be a mission for every one of us,” added Joseph Kabila, referring to Article 64 of the Constitution, which states that “every Congolese citizen has the obligation to resist any individual or group that seizes power by force or exercises it in violation of the Constitution.”
The former president also expressed skepticism about ongoing peace initiatives involving regional and international actors, including talks in Doha, Washington, and mediation efforts by Angola, Togo, and the African Union, indicating that these efforts will not succeed without genuine political will from Kinshasa to silence the guns in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
“In my opinion, what is most lacking is genuine political will,” he said. “Today, the major problem in the DRC is governance and the lack of vision.”
Upon his arrival, top AFC/M23 officials, including former military spokesperson Willy Ngoma, welcomed him to the city.
“We wish him a pleasant stay in the liberated areas,” said rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka in a message posted on X.
He visited the M23/AFC ideological and military training base in Rumangabo, Rutshuru territory under rebel control, shortly after returning to the country to observe the conditions in which Congolese citizens are trained after choosing to join the group, according to 7sur7.
Kabila, 53, led the Democratic Republic of Congo for 18 years after succeeding his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who was assassinated in 2001.