In a stunning turn of events, a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced former president Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, a verdict that is sending political shockwaves across the Great Lakes region.
The court found Kabila guilty of treason, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, citing his alleged support for the M23 rebel group responsible for mass atrocities in the country’s mineral-rich east. Charges ranged from murder and torture to sexual violence and armed insurrection.
Kabila, who ruled the country for 18 years before stepping down in 2019, denounced the process as “arbitrary” and politically motivated. His whereabouts remain unknown since he slipped into exile in 2023, after falling out with his successor, President Félix Tshisekedi.
The sentencing is the culmination of months of escalating hostility between the two camps. Earlier this year, DR Congo’s Senate stripped Kabila of his immunity, opening the way for his prosecution. Tshisekedi has openly accused the former head of state of being the “mastermind” behind the M23 rebellion, which continues to destabilize the east despite a ceasefire signed in July.
Beyond Kinshasa, the ruling raises broader questions about the future of the country’s fragile peace efforts. M23 rebels control vast swathes of North Kivu, including major urban centres such as Goma and Bukavu. The United Nations and Western powers have repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing direct military backing to the rebels—allegations Kigali strongly denies.
For Tshisekedi, the conviction removes a formidable political rival ahead of future elections. But it also risks fueling fresh divisions in a country where Kabila still commands loyalty in parts of the military and political elite. Regional observers warn that the verdict, while symbolically powerful, may deepen instability rather than resolve it.
Kabila, now 54, inherited power after the assassination of his father Laurent in 2001 and remained at the helm until 2019, when he controversially endorsed Tshisekedi during a disputed election. His sentencing marks one of the most dramatic reversals of fortune for a former African head of state in recent memory.
Whether the verdict brings closure or sparks a new cycle of unrest remains to be seen.
