Joseph Kabila has rejected US sanctions imposed over alleged links to rebel activity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, calling the measures “unjustified and politically motivated.”
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the sanctions on Thursday, accusing Kabila of financially supporting the AFC/M23 rebel alliance. It also alleged he encouraged Congolese soldiers to defect.
Kabila’s office dismissed the claims, saying they lack concrete evidence and wrongly attribute responsibility for instability in eastern Congo.
The former president, who ruled DR Congo from 2001 to 2019, currently resides in South Africa. He has lived there since 2023.
In early 2025, Kabila briefly appeared in rebel-held areas in eastern Congo, signalling interest in helping resolve the escalating crisis.
He has previously said his presidency delivered reunification, gradual pacification, and national reconciliation across the vast Central African state.
The Congolese government welcomed the US sanctions, describing them as a significant step against impunity and regional destabilisation.
Kabila, however, has threatened legal action, saying the sanctions came as a surprise and will be challenged.
The AFC/M23 rebellion remains central to the conflict in eastern Congo, controlling major territories including Goma and Bukavu.
UN and Western officials have accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting the group, allegations Kigali denies.
The rebel advances in early 2025 reshaped the security map of eastern Congo, deepening humanitarian and political instability.
A military court in DR Congo sentenced Kabila to death in absentia last year on charges of treason and war crimes.