DR Congo : Ex-President Kabila’ Party Banned

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have banned the party of former President Joseph Kabila and ordered the seizure of his assets after accusing the 53-year-old of high treason over alleged ties with the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group. The ban comes days after the former President returned to the country after spending two years in South Africa. AI Jazeera reports that in a statement late on Saturday, the country’s Interior Ministry said Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) was suspended for its “ambiguous attitude” towards the M23’s occupation of DRC territory. It also noted that Kabila had chosen to return to Goma, where he was being protected by the “enemy”. 
On Saturday, his spokesperson Barbara Nzimbi posted on X that Kabila would be addressing the nation in the coming hours or days. In a written statement, Kabila said his return was motivated by a desire to help resolve the worsening institutional and security crisis in DR Congo. He also told the French-language magazine Jeune Afrique he wanted to “play a role in seeking a solution after six years of complete retreat and one year in exile”.
Joseph Kabila led DR Congo for 18 years, after succeeding his fathe...