Joseph Kabila Launches Military Coalition to Oppose Tshisekedi
Former President Joseph Kabila formed the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation in Goma, integrating M23 rebels to challenge President Felix Tshisekedi's government.
Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila launched the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) on Monday in Goma. The new political and military coalition integrates the M23 rebels and groups previously aligned with the Congo River Alliance. Kabila serves as the head of the FRN, with rebel leaders Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, and Sultani Makenga appointed as vice presidents.
The alliance follows a Friday address in which Kabila criticized the administration of President Felix Tshisekedi for military failures and corruption. Coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky stated the group intends to end tyranny and restore the republic by any means necessary, including the use of force.
This development follows a death sentence issued in absentia against Kabila by a Congolese military court for war crimes and treason. The formation of the FRN complicates existing peace negotiations in Doha. While the Tshisekedi government has not yet issued a formal response, the United States and United Nations maintain that Rwanda continues to provide backing to the M23 insurgency.
