GOMA, DR Congo, May 30 — Former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Joseph Kabila made a rare public appearance on Thursday at his private residence in the country’s eastern North Kivu Province.
He began meeting with local community representatives, just days following his arrival in the region. “We met with former President Joseph Kabila at his request to hear his views on the current situation in the country,” said Joel Amurani, head of the Protestant church in Goma, after the meeting.
Kabila arrived in Goma, the capital city of North Kivu Province, late Sunday, accompanied by several close aides. The visit occurred on the heels of a recent address in which he called for a “citizens’ pact” and a “patriotic awakening” to help the country walk through the ongoing crisis.
Last Thursday, the DRC Senate voted to lift Kabila’s parliamentary immunity, paving the way for possible legal proceedings.
The former president, who became a senator for life after leaving office in 2019, has been accused by the government of treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and allegedly backing the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group, which is active in the east of the country.
According to his entourage, Kabila is expected to continue consultations on Friday with traditional chiefs and other local stakeholders before addressing the media in the coming days.
Since January, the security situation in eastern DRC has sharply deteriorated, with renewed fighting involving the M23, which has seized control of several strategic areas, including Goma and Bukavu.
Kabila, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2019, has been residing primarily in South Africa since 2023.
He recently expressed his desire to return home to “contribute to finding a solution” to the ongoing crisis. (Xinhua)
