Joseph Kabila and M23 form politico-military movement in DR Congo
Joseph Kabila, former president of the DR Congo (2001-2019) convicted in absentia of treason in September 2025, took the head on Monday of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, a politico-military formation that includes the anti-government M23 group backed by Rwanda. The announcement was made from his residence in Goma, a large city in the east controlled by the M23, and senior officials of the M23 and of the Congo River Alliance, the armed group's former political branch, were named vice-presidents. Members said they had united to pool their forces, resources and means with the aim of putting an end to tyranny by all means, including force.
Why it matters: The alliance formalises a political structure for the M23 amid repeated failures of mediation to end the conflict in eastern DR Congo.