Former DRC President Kabilla Calls for Inclusive Dialogue Amid Conflict

Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabilla has renewed his call for an inclusive national dialogue, saying the country’s political and security challenges cannot be resolved through continued fighting alone.

Kabilla made the remarks on Friday in an address to the Congolese people shared through his Reconstruct the DRC YouTube channel. He said the situation in the country had “steadily worsened” and criticised what he described as failures in governance.

Criticism of governance

Kabilla accused the authorities of concentrating power around the head of state, alleging tribalism and nepotism, discrimination against minorities, the use of state power for political purposes, and poor management of state assets and public property.

He described the system as one focused more on preserving the status quo than on improving the welfare of the population. Kabilla also said the country was “no longer a Republic, much less a democratic one” and referred to what he called “the institutionalization of tribalism and nepotism.”

The allegations and assessments were made by Kabilla and are not independently established in the available information. No response from President Félix Tshisekedi or the Congolese government was included.

Eastern conflict

Kabilla also criticised the government’s management of the conflict in eastern DRC. He argued that continuing the war would not resolve the country’s political and security problems and accused Tshisekedi of declining to engage with initiatives intended to find a political solution.

Fighting continues between the Congolese army and AFC/M23 rebels, whom the source says are supported by Rwanda. Mediation efforts led by Washington and Doha have also struggled to reach a conclusion.

Kabilla said dialogue was necessary to restore peace and reinforce national cohesion. “Dialogue is not an option,” he said, reiterating his appeal for a process that includes the country’s different political and social interests.

Dispute over national process

The former president’s remarks come after Tshisekedi officially launched a national dialogue process in August titled the “National Dialogue for Peace, Cohesion, and the Refounding of the State.” According to the presidency, the process was expected to last no more than three months and was designed to begin at grassroots level before moving to national institutions.

However, the format has been viewed as divisive. Kabilla’s political allies have challenged the proposed modalities and called for assurances that the process will be genuinely inclusive.

Kabilla had previously presented a 12-point plan in May last year. The plan included ending the war, restoring state authority and the rule of law, reconciling communities, neutralising armed groups and withdrawing foreign troops.

His latest intervention places renewed emphasis on dialogue as the preferred route to addressing the DRC’s political crisis, as fighting continues in the east and efforts to secure a negotiated outcome remain unresolved.