Sentenced to Death in Congo, Ex-President Kabila Resurfaces in Nairobi to Convene Political Conclave

NAIROBI—Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has emerged from the shadows in Nairobi, convening a gathering of opposition figures just two weeks after being sentenced to death in absentia by a Congolese military court.

The 54-year-old former leader, who ruled the vast Central African nation from 2001 to 2019, was found guilty of treason and crimes against peace by the military tribunal on September 30.

Despite the verdict, Kabila has moved swiftly to reassert himself as a key player in Congolese politics, inviting several opposition leaders to the Kenyan capital for meetings that began on Monday.

According to sources close to the former president, the Nairobi conclave represents an attempt to rebuild an opposition front against his successor, President Félix Tshisekedi.

The gathering comes at a critical juncture, with the eastern DRC engulfed in conflict and political tensions running high in Kinshasa.

“Kabila had already met several leaders in December 2024, in Addis Ababa, but the context has changed considerably since then,” a close associate told The Africa Report. “There is a need to rebuild an opposition front.”

Among those accepting the invitation is Matata Ponyo Mapon, Kabila’s former prime minister, who himself faces a 10-year forced labour sentence for embezzlement handed down by the Constitutional Court in May. Ponyo’s party confirmed in August that he was officially in exile, though his location had remained undisclosed until now.

Seth Kikuni, who ran in the December 2023 presidential election before endorsing opposition heavyweight Moïse Katumbi, has also confirmed his attendance. He will be joined by Franck Diongo, currently in exile in Belgium, and several figures from Kabila’s Front Commun pour le Congo political platform.

The attendee list includes Néhémie Mwilanya Wilondja, Kabila’s former chief of staff; Raymond Tshibanda, the FCC’s crisis cell coordinator; former minister José Makila; and Richard Muyej, former governor of Lualaba province. Members of Kabila’s inner circle, including his adviser Kikaya Bin Karubi and Patient Sayiba Tambwe, are also expected to participate.

However, the gathering has exposed divisions within the opposition. Katumbi, arguably the most prominent opposition leader, declined the invitation and will not send a representative. Delly Sesanga and Jean-Marc Kabund, both invited, have also opted not to attend.

Martin Fayulu, another opposition heavyweight, told The Africa Report he had not been approached about the meeting. Those who declined said they were uncomfortable with the gathering being organized around Kabila in Nairobi.

The former president’s reemergence follows months of strategic positioning. Between February and June, Kabila orchestrated a gradual return to the public eye through media statements and a controversial visit to Goma, the eastern city now under M23 rebel control.

As calls for dialogue intensify among Tshisekedi’s opponents, Kabila appears intent on positioning himself as an indispensable intermediary between the political and military opposition. However, President Tshisekedi has made clear his unwillingness to engage with those he considers proxies for foreign aggressors.

Speaking to the Congolese diaspora in Belgium on October 11, Tshisekedi drew a firm line. “To all those who speak of dialogue and present things in their own way, saying that we do not want dialogue, yes, we do not want that kind of dialogue,” he said. “We want a dialogue among Congolese who are all united against this aggression.”

The Nairobi meeting comes as talks between Congolese authorities and the M23 are scheduled to resume this week in Doha, though prospects for meaningful internal political dialogue remain uncertain.

Kabila’s death sentence, while largely symbolic given his presence outside Congolese jurisdiction, reflects the depth of animosity between him and his successor. The military court’s verdict marks an unprecedented legal action against a former head of state in the DRC and signals Tshisekedi’s determination to consolidate power ahead of future political battles.

Kenya has in recent months emerged as a haven for several Congolese opposition figures, with Kabila having stayed in Nairobi multiple times this year. The country’s role as a neutral ground for political negotiations in the region continues, despite the sensitive nature of hosting figures wanted by neighboring governments.

Whether Kabila’s Nairobi conclave succeeds in forging a unified opposition front remains to be seen. The notable absences suggest that even among Tshisekedi’s critics, rallying around a figure with a death sentence hanging over him may prove a bridge too far.

Former DRC President Joseph Kabila arrives at a Nairobi venue for a meeting with Congolese opposition figures, his first public appearance since being sentenced to death in absentia by a military court in Kinshasa. (Photo: handout)