Congo's government suspends former President's political party after accusing him of supporting Rwandan-backed rebels

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suspended the political party of former president Joseph Kabila and ordered the seizure of his assets amid accusations of supporting Rwandan-backed rebels in the eastern part of the country. The DRC government announced the measures in a series of statements late on Saturday, with the interior ministry claiming Kabila's party had been involved in aiding the M23 rebels. The justice ministry further stated that Kabila's assets, along with those of other party leaders, would be seized on charges amounting to high treason. The government has instructed prosecutors to initiate legal proceedings against Kabila, though no specific details about the accusations have been provided. The former president, who ruled from 2001 until his resignation in 2019 following deadly protests, has expressed a desire to return to the DRC to help seek a resolution to the ongoing conflict in the east. Ferdinand Kambere, secretary of Kabila's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, condemned the suspension, calling it a "flagrant violation" of the DRC's constitution and laws. The M23 rebels have gained control of two major cities in the mineral-rich eastern region since the beginning of the year, an area long plagued by conflict related to the aftermath of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the battle for control over valuable mineral resources. Kabila assumed power after his father's assassination in 2001 and resisted stepping down when his final term ended in 2016. He ultimately agreed to resign and has since lived in various African countries.The post Congo's government suspends former President's political party after accusing him of supporting Rwandan-backed rebels appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.