Former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, has come out strongly against the country’s judiciary, describing it as a tool of oppression after the Senate voted to strip him of his lifelong immunity.
Kabila, who led the country from 2001 to 2019, expressed his anger during a live broadcast from an undisclosed location on Friday, a day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved the government’s request to remove the legal protection he has enjoyed since stepping down.
“The justice system has become an instrument of oppression for a dictatorship desperately trying to survive,” the 53-year-old declared, as he rejected allegations linking him to the M23 rebel group that has taken control of key cities in eastern Congo.
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Kabila, who has been in self-imposed exile since 2023, maintained that he has no ties to the Rwanda-backed rebels and condemned what he described as Kinshasa’s “arbitrary decisions” taken with “disconcerting levity.”
His immunity, granted under his title of “Senator for Life,” was lifted following accusations of serious crimes. Justice Minister Constant Mutamba announced that Kabila faces allegations including treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and involvement in an insurrectional movement.
Despite the storm surrounding him, Kabila struck a defiant tone. “As a soldier, I swore to defend my country to the supreme sacrifice,” he said. “I remain more faithful than ever to this oath. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation are non-negotiable.”
The development adds a new twist to the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, a region rich in critical minerals. Analysts believe Kabila’s possible return to the political scene could complicate efforts to end the rebellion.
Meanwhile, international attention remains fixed on the region, as Washington pushes for a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda.
According to reports, the United States, under former President Donald Trump’s diplomatic team, is keen on brokering a deal that would open the door to multi-billion-dollar Western investments tied to mineral extraction.
