Congo Suspends Kabila’s Party, Seizes Assets Over ...

Congo Suspends Kabila’s Party, Seizes Assets Over Rebel Ties

Zim Now Writer

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended former President Joseph Kabila’s political party and ordered the seizure of his assets, accusing him of supporting Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the country’s conflict-ridden east.

The announcement came in two separate statements issued late Saturday by the ministries of interior and justice. The interior ministry said Kabila’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy had been suspended for allegedly aiding the rebels, while the justice ministry confirmed that assets belonging to Kabila and several party leaders would be seized for acts “amounting to high treason.”

The government also instructed prosecutors to initiate legal proceedings against the former president, though specific details of the allegations were not disclosed.

There has been no immediate response from Kabila himself. However, Ferdinand Kambere, secretary of the PPRD, denounced the move as a “flagrant violation of Congo’s constitution and laws,” in comments.

Kabila, 53, ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, taking over after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila. His tenure was marked by prolonged unrest, and he only stepped down after widespread and deadly protests following the expiration of his final term in 2016.

Though largely absent from Congolese politics in recent years and living abroad, Kabila has hinted at a return to help resolve the worsening conflict in the east, where the M23 rebel group has taken two major cities since the beginning of 2025. The region remains volatile, with violence driven by decades of conflict linked to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the ongoing battle over mineral resources.

The latest development deepens political tensions ahead of next year’s elections and raises fresh questions about the role of former leaders in the DRC’s unstable political landscape.