Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has officially launched a new political and military coalition aimed at opposing the current government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The announcement was made on Monday in the eastern city of Goma at Kabila’s residence. The new organization, titled the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), incorporates several rebel groups that were previously united under the Congo River Alliance. Corneille Nangaa, the former leader of the Congo River Alliance, is set to serve as one of the four vice presidents of the new coalition.
Claude Ibalanky, an adviser to the coalition, stated that the mission of the FRN is to restore the pillars of a functioning republic. According to Ibalanky, the group intends to coordinate all resistance forces to end what they describe as tyranny, utilizing any means necessary, including the use of force. He emphasized that the signatories have pooled their resources and forces to create a framework for liberating the country.
The administration of President Felix Tshisekedi has not yet provided an official reaction to the development. Analysts view the formation of the FRN as a significant challenge to the current government and a complication for the ongoing peace process, which has seen limited success. The M23 rebel group, which is now part of this coalition, is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where it seized control of Goma and other key cities during a major offensive last year. Congo, the United States, and U.N. experts have accused Rwanda of providing support to the M23.
Kabila, who led the country from 2001 to 2019, faces significant legal and political challenges. He took office at the age of 29 — after his father and former President Laurent Kabila was assassinated — and extended his mandate by delaying elections for two years after his term ended in 2017. Last year, a high military court in Congo sentenced him to death in absentia, finding him guilty of war crimes, treason, and crimes against humanity, specifically citing collaboration with Rwanda and the M23. The former president has denied these claims, labeling the proceedings as politically motivated. Additionally, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Kabila earlier this year, citing his alleged role in providing political and financial support to armed groups in eastern Congo.
The move marks a direct escalation in the rivalry between Kabila and President Tshisekedi, who succeeded him after the 2018 elections. Yvon Muya, a researcher at the University of Ottawa, noted that the announcement suggests a prepared shift toward military confrontation. The development also places the ongoing peace negotiations in Doha under increased pressure. As the M23 leaders are now integrated into a new political formation, experts suggest that the practical path for the Doha process has become significantly more complicated, raising concerns about the future of regional stability.
“You don’t make an announcement like this without having prepared the actions that follow,” Muya said. “We will likely witness an escalation on the military front.”
Mwanamilongo reported from Bonn, Germany.
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