Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has returned to the country after two years in self-imposed exile, arriving in the rebel-held city of Goma, his party’s youth leader and rebel sources confirmed.
Kabila’s return follows the Senate’s decision to lift his immunity over allegations of supporting the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, which has seized large areas of eastern Congo.
The former president, who denies ties to the M23, said last month the Congolese justice system was being used for political purposes. In a now-deleted YouTube video released on Friday, he called the government a “dictatorship” and claimed democracy was in decline.
Congolese officials accuse Kabila of war crimes and treason, citing what they say is substantial evidence linking him to the rebels.
A youth leader from Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) told the BBC the former leader should be free to move around the country. Rebel spokespersons also welcomed Kabila’s arrival in Goma.
Kabila, 53, led Congo from 2001 to 2019, taking over after his father’s assassination. He handed power to President Félix Tshisekedi but later clashed with him. Kabila has lived in South Africa since leaving Congo two years ago.
The M23, which first rose up in 2012, resumed fighting in 2021 and has made significant advances this year, including capturing Goma in January. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.