Joseph Kabila: the story explained

The US has imposed sweeping sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of backing the M23 rebel group. Joseph Kabila has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Ghana.

Key facts

• The US has imposed sweeping sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of backing the M23 rebel group.
• The United States has sanctioned former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila over what it calls his support for Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and their ally, the Congo River Alliance.
• The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo's former president Joseph Kabila for his support of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and for fuelling political instability in the DRC's troubled east.
• The current whereabouts of Kabila are unknown, but 12 months ago he made an appearance in the M23-held city of Goma.
• The move freezes any assets Kabila may hold in the US and bars transactions through the US financial system.

What we know

Going deeper, the United States has sanctioned former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila over what it calls his support for Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and their ally, the Congo River Alliance.

On the substance, the US on Thursday imposed sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo's former president Joseph Kabila for his support of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and for fuelling political instability in the DRC's troubled east.

Beyond the headlines, the current whereabouts of Kabila are unknown, but 12 months ago he made an appearance in the M23-held city of Goma.

More precisely, the move freezes any assets Kabila may hold in the US and bars transactions through the US financial system.

It is worth noting that Kabila, who led the DRC from 2001 to 2019, has denied any wrongdoing and said the justice system has been politicised.

By the numbers

At this stage, the 54-year-old ex-president, who led DR Congo for 18 years from 2001, said the measures were "profoundly unjustified, politically motivated and based on unsubstantiated accusations".

On a related note, Washington also says Rwanda supports the M23 and sanctioned some of its army's leading commanders in March.

Going deeper, At the beginning of 2025, the M23 made major advances capturing large areas of this mineral-rich region, including its biggest cities.

On the substance, Last September, he was sentenced to death in absentia by a Congolese military court for war crimes and treason in connection with his alleged support of the M23.

What they're saying

“He is the instigator, the initiator, the architect of the destabilisation of Congo,” Shabani said. “Mr Kabila is among those who make achieving peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo difficult and complicated.”

The wider context

On a related note, the former leader has not responded to US accusations that he is aiming to destabilise the government.

Going deeper, the US Treasury statement announcing the sanctions on Kabila alleged that he was aiming to destabilise Kinshasa and position an opposition candidate to regain political influence.

On the substance, Under the measures, all of Kabila's assets in the US have been frozen.

Beyond the headlines, But Kabila's office said the US decision was "based on the narrative of the Kinshasa authorities".

More precisely, the US Treasury said in a statement on Thursday that Kabila had provided financial support to the Congo River Alliance (AFC) in order to shape political developments in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while encouraging Congolese troops to defect and join rebel ranks.

The bottom line

• The United States has sanctioned former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila over what it calls his support for Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and their ally, the Congo River Alliance.
• The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo's former president Joseph Kabila for his support of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and for fuelling political instability in the DRC's troubled east.
• The current whereabouts of Kabila are unknown, but 12 months ago he made an appearance in the M23-held city of Goma.