Former President Joseph Kabila joins new rebel coalition in eastern DR Congo

Former Democratic Republic of the Congo president Joseph Kabila has joined a new political-military coalition in the eastern city of Goma, marking a significant escalation in the country's long-running conflict. The coalition, announced on Monday evening, is called the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, or FRN. It replaces the existing alliance between the Alliance Fleuve Congo and the March 23 Movement, both of which have been central to the fighting in eastern Congo.

The announcement was made in Goma, the main city in North Kivu province, which has been under M23-AFC control since January last year. According to the supporting report, the new coalition brings together figures and forces associated with the two movements and accuses President Felix Tshisekedi of tyranny. It also calls for resistance by all means, including force.

Kabila's involvement means a former head of state is now directly part of the rebellion's leadership structure. The move comes at a time when the conflict has already displaced millions and drawn in neighbouring countries. The fighting in eastern Congo has been shaped by decades of regional rivalry, unresolved security concerns and competition for territory and mineral resources.

The report also notes that tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali continue to influence the conflict, with the Congolese government and international actors accusing Rwanda of supporting M23, an allegation Rwanda denies. M23 says it took up arms because the government failed to honour earlier commitments. Kabila's entry into the coalition is likely to deepen concern about the prospects for peace.

His political profile gives the rebellion a new level of visibility and may alter calculations among armed groups, government officials and regional actors. It also raises the stakes for any future negotiations, because the conflict is no longer being driven only by armed movements on the ground but also by a former national leader with direct political weight. Goma has been at the centre of the conflict's latest phase, and its capture by M23-AFC last year remains a major turning point.

The city is strategically important because it sits in North Kivu, a province that has long been affected by armed group activity and cross-border tensions. Control of Goma has also carried symbolic value, since it is the main urban centre in the east and a key point in the wider struggle over authority in the region. The roots of the conflict stretch back decades, including the aftermath of Rwanda's 1994 genocide, which helped fuel wars across the region.

Those historical dynamics continue to shape the present crisis, alongside disputes over security and access to resources. The report suggests that Kabila's move may further complicate efforts to end the war, rather than bring the parties closer to a settlement. For residents in Goma, the announcement has revived fears that the conflict will continue for longer than hoped.

One resident quoted in the report said he had believed the war might end soon, only to be surprised that the former president had joined the fighting. The immediate question is whether Kabila's leadership will strengthen the rebellion, change its internal balance or trigger a new response from the government and regional actors. What remains unclear is how the FRN will operate in practice, whether it will consolidate support, and whether this latest realignment will push peace further out of reach.

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