The former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Joseph Kabila, has been accused of war crimes, treason, and supporting a rebel group in a case potentially marking the first prosecution of a former Congolese head of state. Congo’s prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for Kabila’s crimes. The trial of Joseph Kabila must be viewed against the backdrop of the DR Congo’s political landscape.
A Young Leader’s Rise
Following the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, in an act of revenge, a 29–year–old Joseph Kabila took on the responsibility of president of the DR Congo in 2001. Kabila, as a young man, was trained in Tanzania and China, after which he was appointed head of the Congolese armed forces with the rank of major-general. As the youngest head of state, Kabila was tasked with leading his country out of years of political unrest and war. Surviving multiple coup attempts during his time in office, Kabila is remembered as the President who tried to unify his people and struggled for peace, however, not without opposition.
Joseph Kabila served as president from 2001 to 2019, holding office for almost two decades. The highlights of his time in office include peace negotiations with surrounding states and several rebel groups that wreaked havoc on the country’s eastern parts. His government oversaw the drafting of a new constitution in 2005, which was approved by referendum in 2006. This constitution introduced multiparty elections and limited presidents to two five-year terms.
Kabila’s Decline & Post-presidency Influence
President Kabila proceeded to alter the aforementioned feature of the constitution by making the two-round system for presidential elections, allowing him to win re-election with a simple plurality. In 2006, Kabila went on to hold the first-ever multi-party elections in over 40 years, which his party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), won against Jean-Pierre Bemba.
The alteration of the constitution weakened democratic institutions while increasing his time in office. His long time in power and growing authority finally led to push-back from the Congolese people. Kabila delayed elections after his second term officially ended in 2016. The president made attempts to extend his stay in office, further fueling the protests against him. With the pressure mounting from local and international actors, elections were held in 2019. Although Kabila did not run for president himself, he endorsed the candidacy of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.
Félix Tshisekedi, the opposition leader and acting president, won the elections, marking the country’s first-ever peaceful transfer of power. Even after stepping down, Joseph Kabila remained a senator and was given the special title of senator for life. While holding immunity from legal actions against him, he continued to wield considerable influence via his political party and through people loyal to him in both the government and security forces.
The Accusations Against Kabila
In 2025, Joseph Kabila was accused of treason, war crimes, and embezzlement. The prosecutors claim that he funded and politically supported the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group during its violent insurgency in eastern Congo. He also allegedly worked with the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of armed groups whose main goal is to overthrow the elected government of the DR Congo. He is also accused of committing severe human rights violations during his term.
His critics say that his networks and affiliates exploited the Congo’s mineral wealth and enriched themselves while keeping the unrest that displaced millions alive. Kabila has denied having links to the M23. In the aftermath of these accusations, Kabila’s political party, PPRD, was banned and its leaders’ assets were seized. While Kabila’s supporters reject the trial and accusations as a politically motivated witch hunt, the prosecution claims his support of the M23 rebel group has caused widespread violence and displacement of more than 7 million people in the eastern provinces of the country.
The Prosecution’s Case and Evidence
The DRC grants legal immunity to its heads of state to shield them from prosecution during their time in office. However, the circumstances changed for Kabila when his lifelong senatorial immunity, which he had held since leaving office, was stripped on May 23, 2025. This occurred after the Congolese Senate held a decisive vote. At the heart of the military prosecutor’s case is the assertion that Joseph Kabila has been backing the M23 rebels.
The government believes it has built a strong case, supported by what it claims is growing evidence of Kabila’s connections to the rebels. Kabila’s return from exile to Goma, an M23-controlled territory within the DR Congo, became the evidence the prosecution needed to confirm its accusations of his involvement in the rebel group. Authorities see this as a clear indication of his involvement with the armed group. This group, which has been fighting against the Congolese government for years, is infamously known for violent attacks on civilians, including murder, torture, and rape.
The prosecution is also seeking additional penalties for condoning war crimes and conspiracy. President Tshisekedi has openly accused Kabila of aiding the rebels and plotting an insurgency, which remains among all the charges that Kabila has consistently denied. The trial for the former Congolese president began in July, with the defendant, Joseph Kabila, absent. Prosecutors are accusing and presenting evidence against him of treason, war crimes, and backing the M23 rebel group.
On August 22, Military Auditor General Lieutenant General Lucien René Likulia officially asked for the death penalty, pointing to charges like homicide, torture, deportation, and orchestrating an insurrection. Besides the death penalty, the prosecution is also looking for a 20-year sentence for his role in war crimes and 15 years for conspiracy. This trial is a landmark event in Congo, as no former leader has ever faced such serious accusations before, while Kabila’s supporters continue to claim the entire operation is politically motivated.
Conclusion
Joseph Kabila’s time in office was remembered by attempts at unification and peace, but now he finds his legacy overshadowed by accusations of war crimes and treason. This trial marks a pivotal moment in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty reflects the gravity of the charges. It could potentially set a precedent for holding former and current heads of state accountable. Whatever the outcome, the final verdict could reshape the country’s legal and political future, influencing how political power is held and challenged.
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Manhal Zaka Khan is a writer currently interning at Paradigm Shift. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in social sciences at SZABIST Karachi, majoring in international relations. Her writing interests encompass all areas of the social sciences, as she explores and examines the world through a critical and analytical perspective.