Congo ex-president Kabila makes first public appearance

30/5/2025 6:27

Former Congolese President

Joseph Kabila appeared for the first time in public in

rebel-held territory in the country's volatile east on Thursday,

meeting with religious leaders in what participants said was a

push for peace.



Kabila, who has been out of the country since 2023, mostly

in South Africa, is wanted in Congo for alleged crimes against

humanity for supporting the insurgency in the east, including a

role in the massacre of civilians. Congo has also moved to

suspend his political party and seize the assets of its leaders.



The former president's camp denies any ties to the

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who have seized more territory than

ever since January. He had been vowing to return to the Central

African country for weeks to help find a solution to the

conflict.



His return could complicate Washington's plans for a peace

agreement between Congo and Rwanda. Massad Boulos, Trump's

senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters earlier this month the

deal could be signed this summer, accompanied by minerals deals

aimed at bringing billions of dollars of Western investment to

the region.



Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi's government in

Kinshasa this week accused Kabila of "positioning himself as the

rebel leader" along with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.



Kabila received religious leaders on Thursday at his

residence in Kinyogote, west of the city of Goma, said

reporters, who were barred from filming the discussions.



Dressed in a grey jacket and a blue shirt, the 53-year-old

didn't speak to the press.



"The former president... called us to express his wish to

see peace return to the eastern part of the country and

throughout the country," said Joel Amurani, president of the

Interfaith Synergy for Peace and Mediation, a religious group,

who attended the meeting.



A close aide of Kabila's said the consultation sessions were

aimed at learning about security challenges in the region and

that political, administrative, military and civil society

figures were invited to further discussions on Friday.



It is unclear how long Kabila intends to stay in M23-held

territory.



The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has

provided arms and troops to M23. Rwanda denies backing M23 and

says its military has acted in self-defence against Congo's army

and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.