Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has been named the leader of a new rebel coalition seeking to oust the government.
The Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) said it aimed to coordinate “resistance forces” to end “tyranny” in Democratic Republic of Congo and would pursue the goal “by all means, including force”.
While announcing the formation of the group, its adviser, Claude Ibalanky, said Kabila would lead the coalition, with Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, Freddy Kaniki and Sultani Makenga serving as his deputies.
Makenga is a leader of the M23, while Nangaa and Bisimwa are also linked to the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)-M23 coalition, which seized large swathes of mineral-rich eastern DRC last year.
The emergence of the FRN marks a more direct role for Kabila in an armed movement, after he had repeatedly denied supporting M23 despite accusations by Congolese authorities that he was backing the insurgency.
Kabila’s unveiling as leader of the coalition comes days after he delivered a speech in which he promised to outline how Congolese people could “rescue” the country.
On Friday, he accused the Tshisekedi administration of ignoring proposals he made to help end the conflict in eastern DRC.
Kabila also accused the government of corruption, economic mismanagement, worsening insecurity, arbitrary arrests of political opponents and military officers, and criticised its minerals deal with the United States.
The government has yet to publicly respond to the allegations or to the formation of the new coalition.
Kabila, 55, ruled the DRC from 2001 until January 2019, when Tshisekedi assumed office after a disputed election.
The former president had largely stayed out of public view for several years before becoming increasingly critical of his successor.
He travelled to rebel-held Goma in 2025, with several of his former allies taking up positions within the AFC-M23.
In a separate case, Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia by a military court after being convicted of treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity over allegations that he supported the rebellion. He has denied the charges, describing the case as politically motivated.
The formation of the new coalition comes amid uncertainty over the country’s political future. Tshisekedi’s second term is due to end in 2028, but he has said elections scheduled for that year may not hold due to the conflict.
He has also suggested seeking a third term, while parliament has passed a bill that could pave the way for a referendum on amending the constitution’s two-term limit.
The proposed changes have sparked protests in the capital, Kinshasa, where authorities clashed with demonstrators last month.
