On April 8th, former Congolese President Joseph Kabila broke his silence after several years, announcing his imminent return to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kabila plans return to DR Congo amid growing crisis
Outgoing president Joseph Kabila sits during the inauguration ceremony for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thursday Jan. 24
-
Copyright © africanews
Jerome Delay/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved.
In a statement released to RFI, Kabila explained that he’s returning due to the country’s "out of control" situation—citing worsening security issues and the collapse of national institutions.
While no exact date was given, sources close to Kabila suggest he could arrive in the coming days through the eastern region, which he describes as in critical danger.
Kabila has been living in South Africa for a year, working on a thesis about Congo’s relations with China. However, it seems that project is now on hold.
Kabila’s return also coincides with the political activities of his party, the PPRD, which recently rejected President Félix Tshisekedi’s call for national unity talks.