DRC’s Kabila meets clergy in North Kivu

Goma, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | Joseph Kabila, a former Democratic Republic of Congo leader, has held a meeting with religious leaders in his first public appearance in North Kivu province, an area under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.

On Thursday, Kabila held a closed-door meeting with a joint group of religious leaders, mostly bishops and sheikhs, at his farm in Kinyogote, located about 10 kilometres from Goma city along Sake road on the shores of Lake Kivu.

M23 political spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka released a short statement saying that a fruitful meeting between Kabila and representatives of the religious denomination had happened. Kanyuka also posted a photo of Kabila in the company of religious leaders.

After the meeting, Pastor Joel Amurani, President of the North Kivu religious denominations group, made a brief statement explaining that Kabila expressed his wish to see peace return to the east and the entire country. According to Amurani, religious leaders also asked Kabila to truly play his role as a former president or that of wisdom so that peace returns to the DRC.

Sources from the meeting indicate that Kabila intends to continue such meetings and consultations with all socio-political sectors.

On May 22, a senate that sat on Thursday at the People’s Palace in the capital, Kinshasa, voted to lift immunities from Kabila over ties with M23 rebels. They also voted in favour of authorising legal proceedings against him on accusations of treason for supporting the project of overthrowing constitutional institutions in collusion with a foreign power and participation in war crimes due to alleged support for an armed organisation responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Last month, the DR Congo government, through Justice Minister Constant Mutamba, announced the commencement of legal proceedings against Kabila following his visit to Goma, a city currently under the control of M23 rebels.

Kabila, who has been in exile since 2023, made a surprise appearance in Goma, arriving in a large convoy escorted by M23 fighters. Kabila, who led DR Congo for 18 years, appeared alongside prominent Congolese journalist Steve Wembi, who had also been living in exile in Rwanda.

The visit has fueled widespread speculation that Kabila may be supporting the rebel group.   Mutamba ordered the seizure of all movable and immovable property belonging to Kabila. He also announced the nationwide suspension of all activities of the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD), of which Kabila is the moral authority. Several senior PPRD officials were also arrested for questioning over alleged links to the M23 rebels.

It is still unclear if Kabila’s official arrival and stay in Goma city will suffocate the ongoing peace talks between the M23 rebels and the DR Congo government in Qatar’s capital, Doha. The talks have, however, not fully yielded positive results of the ceasefire.

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