Ex-president named leader of new DR Congo rebel coalition

The Front for the Refoundation of the Nation is a new rebel coalition in DR Congo. It says it will coordinate “resistance forces” to end what it calls tyranny. Its stated methods include force. Joseph Kabila leading it makes the group both a military and political challenge to President Félix Tshisekedi’s government.

The coalition was announced at Kabila’s residence in Goma, a city controlled by M23 since last year. Video showed Kabila signing the group’s founding documents. M23 leader Sultani Makenga became one of Kabila’s four deputies. The other three deputies also come from the AFC-M23 alliance.

This matters because the announcement gives Kabila a direct public role in an armed movement. The government has not commented. The coalition’s formation could deepen the conflict and connect existing rebel forces with a former national leader who ruled DR Congo from 2001 to 2019.

M23 is a rebel group active in eastern DR Congo. It controls Goma, the region’s largest city, and has held it since last year. AFC-M23 is the broader alliance linked to M23. The article describes this alliance as having seized much of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.

The new coalition places M23’s leader, Sultani Makenga, among Kabila’s four deputies. The other three deputies also come from AFC-M23. This shows that the FRN is being built around forces already holding territory, rather than being only a political announcement.

The article does not provide a square-kilometre figure or a precise percentage of territory under AFC-M23 control. Its scale is described in broad terms: the alliance has taken much of eastern DR Congo, an area already affected by more than 100 militia groups and battles over power and natural resources.

Kabila’s appointment is significant because he is not a new rebel figure. He ruled DR Congo from 2001 until January 2019, when Félix Tshisekedi took office after a disputed election. Kabila and Tshisekedi initially formed an informal power-sharing arrangement, but later became political rivals.

Kabila went into self-imposed exile in 2023 and returned to Goma last year. Goma is the largest city in eastern DR Congo and has been under M23 control since last year. The coalition’s announcement took place at his residence there, with video showing him signing its founding documents.

The development changes the public picture of Kabila’s involvement. He had previously denied links to M23. Now M23’s leader is one of his deputies. Kabila was also sentenced to death in absentia for treason a year ago, making his leadership an especially direct challenge to the government.

A campaign by the FRN could add a former president and existing rebel forces to an already violent conflict. Fighting might threaten government control in more areas and increase insecurity for civilians. The article does not predict a specific outcome, but the coalition explicitly says it may use force.

The political effects could also be serious. Kabila accuses Tshisekedi’s government of poor security, economic mismanagement, attacks on constitutional rule, and arbitrary arrests. The government has not responded publicly. Their dispute could therefore become both an armed contest and a struggle over national authority.

Elections are another uncertainty. Tshisekedi’s second term ends in 2028, but he said elections due that year may not happen because of the conflict. He also suggested seeking a third term. Parliament has passed a bill that could allow a referendum removing the two-term limit, and protesters have already clashed with authorities.

The Congolese government, led by President Félix Tshisekedi, is the national authority challenged by the FRN and existing rebel forces. M23 is the main rebel group named in the article. It controls Goma and is part of the AFC-M23 alliance, which has seized much of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.

More than 100 militia groups are active in the east. They are involved in ethnic tensions and battles for political power and control of valuable natural resources. These local forces make the conflict fragmented, with many armed actors rather than only two opposing sides.

The UN and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing M23 and controlling the rebels. Rwanda denies supporting M23 and says its military presence is defensive, aimed at threats from Congolese armed groups. The Congolese government has not commented on the FRN’s launch or Kabila’s accusations.

Eastern DR Congo has experienced decades of violence because several conflicts overlap. The article identifies ethnic tensions, fights for political power, and competition for lucrative natural resources. More than 100 militia groups remain active, making authority and security difficult to establish across the region.

The current conflict illustrates this pattern. AFC-M23 has seized much of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, while M23 controls Goma. The UN and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing the rebels. Rwanda rejects that accusation and says its military presence responds defensively to threats from Congolese armed groups.

The result is a conflict with local and regional dimensions. Armed groups compete for influence and resources, while national leaders contest political legitimacy. The FRN’s formation could connect these long-running armed struggles to Kabila’s opposition to Tshisekedi’s government, potentially widening the political stakes.

Control of mineral resources can give armed groups valuable territory and influence. The article says AFC-M23 seized much of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo. It also identifies ethnic tensions and competition for political power as major drivers. Together, these pressures can turn local disputes into organized armed struggles.

Political institutions matter because disputes are harder to contain when trust in government and constitutional rules is contested. Kabila accuses Tshisekedi’s administration of undermining constitutional rule, mismanaging the economy, failing on security, and arbitrarily arresting opponents and officers. The government has not publicly answered those claims.

Term limits add another pressure point. Tshisekedi’s second term ends in 2028, but he has hinted at seeking a third. Parliament passed a bill that could permit a referendum removing the two-term limit. Protests against the proposed changes have already led to clashes, showing how constitutional disputes can intensify wider instability.