The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has alleged that Rwanda had a plan to assassinate President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, but was advised against it by former President Joseph Kabila Kabange.
This was revealed by the Chief Auditor of the Military Court in Congo during a Friday session before the Senate, in which he requested the lifting of Kabila’s immunity so that he could be prosecuted for crimes he is accused of.
Kinshasa recently initiated legal proceedings against Joseph Kabila, accusing him of collaborating with the M23 rebel group, which is currently engaged in armed conflict with the Congolese army.
However, because Kabila served as President for 18 years and was granted lifetime senatorial status after leaving office, the Congolese legal framework requires that his parliamentary immunity be lifted before any judicial proceedings can commence, as the law prohibits prosecution of sitting members of parliament.
During the Senate session on Friday, Lieutenant-General Lekulia Bakuma Lucien-René presented evidence allegedly linking Kabila to cooperation with both the M23 and Rwanda, which he argued constitutes a strong basis for removing his immunity.
According to the General, there is evidence indicating that Kabila has been providing support to the M23 group.
He further claimed that Kabila and Rwanda had been jointly involved in a plot to overthrow President Tshisekedi. The general stated that this information was provided by Eric Nkuba, a former senior member of M23, who was arrested in Tanzania and later extradited to Kinshasa.
During interrogation, Nkuba reportedly disclosed that Rwanda had a plan to assassinate President Tshisekedi, but Kabila advised against carrying out the plan, warning that killing Tshisekedi would only turn him into a national hero in Congo.
General Bakuma elaborated on the plot, stating:
“During questioning, Eric Nkuba said that on May 15, 2023, while in Kampala, he overheard a lifetime senator speaking with Corneille Nangaa (the coordinator of AFC/M23).”
“He stated that during their conversation, Rwanda had a plan to kill the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, but [Kabila] advised them not to implement it because the person to be killed would become a hero of the nation.”
Furthermore, Kabila is said to have recommended that removing Tshisekedi through a coup d’état would be a better option.
Among the charges brought against Joseph Kabila are:
Membership in a group aiming to overthrow the government
Conspiracy
Participation in war crimes
Crimes against humanity
