Former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila accused the country’s current government of continuing its war against AFC/M23 despite what he described as a lack of both the will and the means to win it.
Kabila made the remarks in an address to the Congolese people broadcast on Friday through the Reconstruire RDC YouTube channel.
He said the Congolese armed forces had suffered repeated setbacks since the current administration assumed command in January 2019, but the government had continued pursuing a military solution for political reasons.
Speaking in French, Kabila said: “Despite the repeated setbacks suffered by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the battlefield, the government has chosen, for political reasons, to continue a war it appears to have neither the will nor the means to win.”
He criticised the government’s handling of the conflict in eastern DR Congo, arguing that continuing the war would not resolve the country’s political and security problems.
Kabila accused Kinshasa of failing to respect the ceasefire agreed through the Doha peace process. He also alleged that the government continued cooperating with the Wazalendo, the FDLR and other armed groups.
The Doha process covers negotiations between the Congolese government and AFC/M23, including commitments on a ceasefire, humanitarian access and mechanisms for monitoring violations.
Kabila also accused the government of rejecting efforts to resolve the conflict through dialogue.
He referred to peace initiatives led by the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of Central African States and the African Union.
He said mediation efforts by Congolese Catholic and Protestant leaders through CENCO and the Church of Christ in Congo had also been rejected.
“Faced with the crisis, it seeks not a solution but submission,” Kabila said.
He argued that the government expected people who disagreed with its policies and methods to abandon their positions without discussion or conditions.
Kabila also accused the authorities of violating human rights and public freedoms through the arbitrary arrest and detention of military officers, opposition leaders, human rights activists, journalists and other citizens.
He claimed that some detained military officers had died after being denied medical care and other essential assistance. He also alleged that killings and massacres had occurred without serious investigations or punishment.
On the economy, Kabila criticised what he described as unfair contracts, corruption and the misuse of public funds.
He claimed that DR Congo’s public debt had risen above $18 billion and referred to World Bank governance indicators while criticising the government’s record.
The World Bank reported that the country’s public debt stood at 18.6 per cent of gross domestic product in 2025 and assessed DR Congo as facing a moderate risk of debt distress. It also reported that the government issued a $1.25 billion Eurobond in early 2026.
Kabila further accused the government of compromising national independence and the interests of future generations through agreements involving the country’s critical minerals.
Kabila said the DRC was facing a grave national crisis and that its people had reached a decisive moment in their history. He promised to outline in the coming hours, days and weeks what he believed Congolese citizens should undertake together to save the country.
Elie GATETE
RADIOTV10