Former President Joseph Kabila has announced his return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from South Africa to “personally tackle the crisis in the eastern region.”
The announcement, made just hours ago, comes after nearly two years of political exile, reigniting fierce tensions between him and current President Félix Tshisekedi who has openly accused Kabila of supporting the M23 rebel movement a charge Kabila’s party strongly denies.
Kabila, who ruled the vast mineral-rich nation from 2001 to 2019, claims his homecoming is purely driven by national interest. But opposition see it as a dramatic power play that could deepen the country’s already fragile political stability.
“I cannot stand by while our people in Goma, Beni, and Ituri continue to suffer,” Kabila said in a press statement released by his political coalition, the Common Front for Congo (FCC).
“I am returning not to fight, but to help restore peace, unity and sovereignty.”
Kabila’s reappearance comes amid intensifying conflict in eastern DRC where the government has struggled to contain insurgent activity, especially from the M23 rebels, a group accused of mass atrocities and regional destabilization.
President Tshisekedi has publicly pointed fingers at foreign powers and former regime insiders for allegedly fueling the violence.
“There are forces who once ruled this country, who now wish to rule it through bloodshed. We know who they are.”
Though he stopped short of naming Kabila directly, the implication was loud and clear and now, Kabila’s return only amplifies the situation.
Tshisekedi’s relationship with Kabila has always been uneasy. Though Kabila peacefully handed over power in 2019, many believed he continued to exert influence behind the scenes, particularly in the military and judiciary.
Their alliance collapsed in 2021, triggering eliminations, protests and a redrawing of DRC’s political map.
Now with Kabila returning to a divided homeland amid rising death tolls and humanitarian crises in the east, fear is mounting that the former leader could become a rallying point for discontented elements within the army, opposition and local communities.
“We know this isn’t just about peace,” said political analyst Jean-René Kalala in Kinshasa. “It’s about power and Kabila wants back in.”
With the 2026 general elections on the horizon, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Kabila’s return risks inflaming tensions just as the government tries to consolidate control in eastern DRC and manage delicate diplomatic relations with Rwanda and Uganda, both frequently accused of meddling in Congolese affairs.
