🌍 REGIONAL | Kabila Joins M23 Rebels as Zambia Pushes for DRC Peace
Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has joined forces with the M23 rebel movement in a new political-military coalition, complicating regional peace efforts as Zambia calls for stronger action to end the conflict in eastern Congo.
Kabila unveiled the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) on Monday, October 12, 2026, at his residence in Goma, a strategic eastern city under M23 control since January 2025.
According to Reuters and AFP, the coalition brings together senior figures from the AFC/M23 alliance, with Kabila assuming its leadership and rebel officials taking senior positions.
Coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky said the new movement intends to unite opposition forces against President Félix Tshisekedi’s government.
Its stated objective is to end what it describes as tyranny “by any means necessary, including the use of force.”
Among the coalition’s senior figures are Corneille Nangaa, the former head of the Congo River Alliance, and M23 military commander Sultani Makenga.
The announcement marks a significant shift for Kabila, who governed the DRC from 2001 to 2019 and had previously denied allegations of collaboration with the rebellion.
A Congolese military court sentenced him to death in absentia in 2025 on charges including treason and war crimes. Kabila rejected the proceedings as politically motivated.
Meanwhile, Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele has called for renewed implementation of existing peace frameworks, effective ceasefire monitoring and concrete measures against armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
Speaking during the Fourth Meeting of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Specialised Committee of Defence Experts in Lusaka, Zyeele warned that instability in the DRC, Sudan and South Sudan continues to threaten regional security.
He stressed that peace agreements must be supported by practical measures on the ground if lasting stability is to be achieved.
ICGLR Deputy Executive Secretary Yasir Ibrahim Ali Mohammed said the organisation is supporting ceasefire monitoring and confidence-building measures through the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus.
The organisation is also strengthening its conflict early-warning system to improve the identification of emerging security threats and facilitate timely responses.
The developments come as regional and international mediators seek to preserve peace arrangements involving the DRC, Rwanda and the M23 movement.
On October 5, an African Union delegation met representatives of the AFC/M23 alliance and international humanitarian organisations in Goma, urging compliance with ceasefire commitments and the protection of civilians.
Kabila’s new alliance introduces another political and military dimension to the conflict, raising questions about the future of negotiations and the ability of regional institutions to enforce existing agreements.
The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu
October 15, 2026