In a detailed opinion piece published in South Africa’s Sunday Times, Kabila reflects on the fleeting optimism of 2019, when the DRC celebrated its first peaceful transfer of power, only to see it collapse under Tshisekedi’s leadership.

“At the beginning of 2019, Africa and the world celebrated the first peaceful transfer of power in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Kabila writes. “However, the optimism was short-lived as President Félix Tshisekedi soon dismantled the agreement that had underpinned the transition.”

Since then, he argues, the country has deteriorated, with the ongoing war threatening not only the DRC but the stability of the entire region.

Kabila points to the escalating conflict in eastern DRC, particularly the resurgence of the M23 rebel group since 2021, as a symptom of deeper failures. He dismisses the government’s narrative that the crisis hinges solely on M23 or tensions with Rwanda as “misleading.”

Instead, he insists, “The crisis… is multifaceted. It is not just a security and humanitarian emergency but also a political, social, and ethical one.”

Kabila also pokes holes in Tshisekedi’s “systematic dismantling of the Republican Pact,” the 2006 constitution born from the Sun City dialogue.

“The pact had provided a foundation for stability, enabling the country to end years of civil war, reunify, hold democratic elections, and witness its first peaceful transfer of power,” he notes.

Yet, under Tshisekedi, this progress has been undone through “violating the constitution, conducting fraudulent elections in December 2023, and consolidating absolute power.”

The former president accuses Tshisekedi of plunging the DRC into “severe democratic backsliding,” with political opposition silenced through “intimidation, arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and forced exile of politicians, journalists, and religious leaders.”

Economically, he warns, “The national debt, which had been stabilised in 2010, has surged once again, raising concerns about the country’s financial future.”

Kabila argues that military solutions alone—such as those backed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC)—cannot resolve the crisis without addressing its root causes.

“Any attempt to resolve the crisis without addressing its root causes—namely, the governance failures under Tshisekedi—will be futile,” he writes. “Human rights violations, constitutional breaches, and military crackdowns on civilians will persist even if negotiations with Rwanda are concluded or if M23 is defeated militarily.”

He urges SADC and the international community, particularly South Africa, to reconsider their approach.

“Given the histories of its member states, SADC should recognise this reality,” Kabila asserts. “The grievances of the Congolese people against their government must be acknowledged and addressed. If not, the country will face continued political turmoil, insecurity, institutional instability, and possibly another civil war.”

Kabila maintains that the current conflict can only be fully addressed through a broader solution.

“A lasting solution requires more than just military support—it demands efforts to restore democracy, peace, and stability. Wasting resources on propping up a dictatorship only prolongs the suffering of the Congolese people."

“The international community, particularly South Africa, must decide whether it will continue supporting a tyrannical regime or championing the democratic aspirations of the people of the DRC.”

Kabila served as the fourth President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 to 2019. His remarks come just days after Tshisekedi accused him of colluding with M23 rebels to destabilise Congo.

Former President Joseph Kabila has issued a scathing critique of Félix Tshisekedi’s administration, warning that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is sliding toward collapse under what he calls a tyrannical regime.