In a dramatic political shift, top Congolese opposition leaders including Martin Fayulu, Moïse Katumbi, Delly Sesanga, and former President Joseph Kabila have issued a joint declaration demanding a Congolese-led peace process and calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a move that challenges President Félix Tshisekedi’s diplomatic efforts and casts renewed scrutiny on Uganda’s military presence in the east.
The joint statement, released on April 30, bears the signatures of several political heavyweights, among them former President Joseph Kabila, marking his most assertive return to the public stage since leaving office in 2019.
The declaration applauds international efforts by the African Union, the United States, and Qatar to mediate in the conflict with the M23/AFC rebellion but argues that “no durable peace can emerge without Congolese ownership and internal dialogue.” The opposition insists that national healing must begin with local voices, not foreign troops or externally brokered deals.
Most striking is the participation of Kabila long absent from frontline politics — who has reportedly visited Goma and reconnected with controversial figures linked to the M23-allied Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC). His reappearance is being read by analysts as a calculated bid to reclaim influence and shape post-conflict dynamics, particularly by tapping into growing unease over foreign military involvement.
“The call for foreign troop withdrawal is unmistakably directed at Uganda,” said a regional security analyst based in Goma. “It’s not just about sovereignty. It’s political positioning an attempt by Kabila to leverage nationalist sentiment and check Uganda’s expanding footprint.”
Ugandan troops have been operating in eastern DRC under a joint initiative with President Tshisekedi’s government aimed at combating the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group with historical links to Uganda and ties to international terror networks. While Tshisekedi has welcomed the collaboration, the opposition views it with suspicion and now, with open hostility.
Kabila’s maneuvering also appears to challenge Uganda’s First Son and Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has openly declared opposition to Kabila’s political return. Muhoozi recently accused Kabila of harboring ADF fighters and vowed, “I will never allow Joseph Kabila to become President of DRC again.”
Observers suggest the current opposition push may be designed not only to weaken Tshisekedi’s international alliances but also to draw a red line against what they frame as foreign interference, with Kabila recasting himself as a defender of Congolese sovereignty.
“This is more than a peace proposal,” said a diplomatic source in Kinshasa. “It’s a warning shot to Tshisekedi, to Muhoozi, and to the international community. Kabila is saying: ‘You cannot resolve Congo’s future without me.’”
As regional tensions continue to mount and fighting persists in the east, the statement sets the stage for a deeper political contest — one in which the future of peace in the Congo may hinge as much on internal rivalries and historical grievances as on diplomatic negotiations or military campaigns.
