In a calm but powerfully charged 45-minute speech, former President Joseph Kabila emerged from political silence to deliver a historic and unapologetic critique of President Félix Tshisekedi’s leadership.
While Kabila clarified that he has not visited Goma, he declared his intention to do so soon, highlighting the growing frustration among the Congolese people, especially in the eastern regions abandoned by Kinshasa.
“I have never been to Goma as they claim,” Kabila said. “But I will go soon. The people there have been forsaken, and I want to show them that they are not alone.”
Kabila’s speech resonates deeply in a country torn by insecurity and leadership failure. His words come at a time when the eastern region, particularly North Kivu and Ituri, is experiencing heightened violence, mass displacement, and government neglect.
Amid this chaos, movements like the AFC/M23 have gained significant traction by defending local populations and offering an alternative to the corrupt and inept administration in Kinshasa.
Kabila did not mince words in blaming the current leadership for the country’s rapid decline.
“In 2019, I left behind a nation at peace, with a strong army, growing economy, and state institutions with direction,” he said.
“Today, justice has been politicized, the army abandoned, and armed groups and foreign mercenaries now control vast territories. Citizens have been betrayed by those meant to protect them.”
His statement echoes the grievances many in eastern Congo have expressed for years. Unlike the central government, AFC/M23 has made tangible efforts to protect civilians, build infrastructure, and challenge the status quo, which Kabila subtly acknowledged by calling for deep reforms.
He demanded a complete shift in national leadership priorities: End the war and restore genuine peace, Dismantle dictatorship and restore democracy, Promote national unity and end tribal favoritism, Rebuild national sovereignty free from foreign interference.
“I will never betray the oath I took to serve this country,” he concluded. “I stand with the people, especially those in the East. They deserve peace, education, and decent healthcare just like any other Congolese.”
Though Kabila maintained he is not an enemy of the current regime, his call for action will likely energize the opposition and awaken a population long resigned to hopelessness.
His speech is expected to strengthen voices calling for change and could legitimize alternative political forces like AFC/M23, whose rising influence is reshaping the narrative in the East.
Whether this signals a turning point for Congolese politics or triggers more government backlash remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that voices like Kabila’s, and the determination of movements like AFC/M23 can no longer be ignored in the struggle for a peaceful and sovereign Congo.
