Fears grow in DRC as former President Joseph Kabila joins rebellion

Kabila’s move raises fresh questions about the war in eastern Congo and prospects for peace. Save Share Goma, DR Congo –Hopes for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have suffered another setback after former President Joseph Kabila joined a new political-military coalition challenging President Felix Tshisekedi. Announced in Goma on Monday evening, the Front pour la Refondation de la Nation (FRN), or Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, is led by Kabila and replaces the existing alliance between the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the March 23 Movement (M23). The new coalition brings together figures and forces associated with the two movements, accuses Tshisekedi of tyranny and calls for resistance by all means, including force. Goma, the main city in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province, has been under M23-AFC control since January last year. Kabila’s move brings a former head of state directly into the leadership of the rebellion. The conflict has displaced millions and drawn in neighbouring countries. Its roots stretch back decades, shaped by regional rivalries, unresolved security concerns and competition for territory and mineral resources. The aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide helped fuel wars across the region, while tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali continue to shape the fighting. M23 says it took up arms because the Congolese government failed to honour earlier commitments. The Congolese government and international actors have accused Rwanda of supporting the group, an allegation Kigali denies, citing security threats from armed groups operating in eastern Congo. Whether Kabila’s leadership will reshape the rebellion or further complicate efforts to end the war remains unclear. In Goma, residents fear the latest realignment will push peace further out of reach. For Basa Juhudi, Kabila’s decision has revived fears that the conflict will drag on. “As a resident of Goma, I believed the war might end in the very near future, hoping that the Congolese government would liberate us. And we are greatly surprised that even our former president has joined the fray,” he told Al Jazeera. Juhudi said Kabila’s political experience makes his involvement particularly troubling. “The fact that Joseph Kabila has joined the rebellion, bearing in mind that he is our former president and knows this country inside out, means the war is far from over. I am not happy about this frightening situation....