Kabila joins M23 leaders in new front against Congo government
GOMA — Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila has joined M23 rebel leaders in a new political and military coalition that says it is prepared to use force against the government. The announcement places the former head of state in an openly declared alliance with an insurgency he previously denied supporting.
The Front pour la Refondation de la Nation, or Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, was unveiled on Monday at Kabila’s residence in Goma. The eastern city has been under M23 control since January 2025. Kabila will lead the new organisation, with rebel figures occupying senior positions.
Coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky said the front would unite opposition forces and pool their resources. He described its objective as ending what it calls tyranny, “by any means necessary, including the use of force”. That is the coalition’s characterisation of President Félix Tshisekedi’s government, rather than an independently established assessment.
Reuters reported that the new front is intended to replace the AFC-M23 alliance fighting government forces in eastern Congo. The announcement therefore concerns the political organisation of the rebellion; it does not establish that M23’s fighters have disarmed, withdrawn or ended their campaign.
Kabila governed Congo from 2001 to 2019. Congolese authorities have accused him of supporting the rebellion, allegations he denied. A military court sentenced him to death in absentia in September 2025 on charges including treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity. He has rejected the accusations and described the proceedings as politically motivated.
His newly announced role is a significant political development, but it does not, by itself, resolve the evidence concerning his alleged earlier involvement. Reuters reported that he visited rebel-held Goma in 2025 and that former allies subsequently took positions within AFC-M23, deepening scrutiny of his relationship with the movement.
The conflict also carries a regional dimension. The United Nations and Western governments accuse Rwanda of supporting M23, while Kigali denies backing the insurgency. AFP reported that diplomatic agreements involving Congo, Rwanda and M23 have failed to deliver a durable halt to fighting in an eastern region affected by violence for more than three decades.
The new coalition brings a former president’s political influence into the same structure as rebel leadership, adding another complication to efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict. Its declared willingness to use force leaves civilians facing continued uncertainty rather than a confirmed change in security conditions.
No substantive response from Tshisekedi’s government to Monday’s launch was available in the reports reviewed. The immediate questions are whether the new leadership will alter the rebellion’s negotiating position, military operations or participation in existing peace efforts.
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