A military prosecutor in the Democratic Republic of Congo has demanded the death penalty for former president Joseph Kabila, who is facing treason charges in absentia. The dramatic request came from General Lucien Rene Likulia, who accused Kabila of war crimes, treason, and organizing an insurrection.
Kabila, 53, has lived outside the DRC for two years but was placed on trial in July, accused of backing Rwanda-linked M23 militants. The prosecution claims he worked alongside Rwanda to plot a coup against the current president, Felix Tshisekedi. Likulia argued, “The accused planned to overthrow by armed force the constitutional regime in place,” adding that Kabila received support from Corneille Nangaa, the former head of the Congolese electoral commission.
Why is Joseph Kabila Facing Treason Charges?
The charge sheet describes Kabila as “one of the initiators” of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a coalition of rebel groups that includes the M23. Prosecutors say atrocities committed by the M23 in North and South Kivu, including homicide, torture, rape, and the January capture of Goma, tie directly back to Kabila’s leadership and coordination. The violence, they argue, caused “immense prejudice” to the nation.
What is Kabila’s Party Saying?
Kabila’s political allies have dismissed the proceedings as politically motivated. Ferdinand Kambere, deputy secretary-general of the PPRD, insisted, “It’s a political trial, the regime is trying to hide its diplomatic and military failures.” He added that the current environment does not guarantee a fair trial. Kabila himself has previously denounced the courts as “an instrument of oppression.”
Despite leaving office in 2019 and moving abroad in 2023, Kabila still wields significant influence in Congolese politics. He has openly accused Tshisekedi’s government of being a “dictatorship.” Meanwhile, Tshisekedi has labeled him the mastermind behind M23, even as Rwanda denies any role in the conflict. UN experts, however, maintain that Rwanda’s army has played a “critical” role in the M23 offensive.
The DRC reinstated the death penalty last year, though no executions have taken place in decades. With conflict in eastern Congo intensifying since the M23 resurgence in 2021, Kabila’s trial highlights the deep political and military fractures that continue to shape the country’s future.
By Lucky Anyanje