Joseph Kabila - A Profile by Susannah Oluwaseun
Where is Joseph Kabila?
The former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s whereabouts has remained a mystery for many months. After stepping down from his 18-year presidency in 2019, Kabila remained in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for serval years until relocating to South Africa to continue his studies. However, in early 2025, Kabila revealed that he suspended his academic pursuits to devote more attention to the DRC’s worsening situation. Kabila’s concerns about the DRC are understandable: violence has escalated and M23, the allegedly Rwandan-backed rebel group, has taken key territories in the East, including Goma. The DRC’s current president, Felix Tshisekedi, has also been accused of failing to uphold human rights.
Rebel groups are not unfamiliar to Kabila. When Kabila became president after his father’s assassination in 2001, he was confronted with a nation at war. A peace agreement reached in 2003, saw Kabila sharing power with major opposition and rebel groups until he was formally elected in 2006.
So back to the question at hand: where is Joseph Kabila?
There were reports that he returned to the DRC in April through the Eastern M23-occupied territories, but there have not been any confirmed sightings of Kabila. Although, perhaps, the focus should be on where Kabila has been absent. Kabila was absent on 22 May 2025 when the senate voted to strip him of his immunity from prosecution; a power conferred on Kabila because of his position as senator for life. This marks yet another blow for Kabila after his assets were seized and his political party, the PPRD, was suspended because of alleged links to M23.
So, what’s next for Kabila?
Kabila is now likely to face prosecution for treason and war crimes because of the alleged M23 ties; ties which Kabila has consistently denied. In a speech from an undisclosed location, Kabila criticized the government and called their move “an instrument of oppression for a dictatorship desperately trying to survive”. It is unclear whether the government’s decision to strip Kabila of his immunity is a reaction to Kabila’s indication to devote more attention to the DRC. Is the current government threatened by his influence and potential to undermine the president? Or are the allegations about Kabila legitimate and is the DRC upholding justice? After all, making peace with rebels is not new to Kabila. What is clear is that Kabila’s imminent prosecution will increase tensions, as will his return to DRC (if he is not there already). All eyes will be on DRC’s government and Kabila as they make their next moves in this political battle. And the answer to the million-dollar question, “Where is Joseph Kabila?”, may determine exactly how these moves will play out.
Sources
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joseph-kabila-takes-power-in-congo/
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20240530044153/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/world/africa/kabila-congo-elections.html
3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/25/drc-what-is-joseph-kabilas-legacy-after-18-years-in-power
4. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/09/drc-president-felix-tshisekedi-must-be-held-accountable-for-human-rights-violations/
5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgyzl1mlkvo
6. https://x.com/Kivuinfo24/status/1898353984148013347
7. https://apnews.com/article/congo-goma-m23-rebels-kabila-33bdbf5714848ee5623c92aad3384eca 8. https://www.theafricareport.com/382033/drc-felix-tshisekedi-takes-aim-at-traitor-joseph-kabila/
9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5ewvprln6o
10. https://www.cfr.org/timeline/eastern-congo-legacy-intervention
11. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/23/dr-congo-strips-ex-president-kabila-of-immunity
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-CjQjKPyM
13. https://reporting.unhcr.org/operational/situations/democratic-republic-congo-situation
14. https://en.igihe.com/politics-48/article/kabila-suspends-studies-in-south-africa-to-focus-on-worsening-drc-situation
15. https://africabriefing.com/former-president-joseph-kabila-validates-doctoral-thesis-at-university-of-johannesburg/
16. https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20250501-drc-seeks-to-remove-ex-president-kabila-s-immunity-from-prosecution
17. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-moves-lift-ex-president-kabilas-immunity-accusing-him-war-crimes-2025-05-01/
18. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/kabila-lampoons-tshisekedi-dictatorship-5055082#google_vignette
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