In a vote taken on Thursday, May 22, nearly 90 senators approved the motion to strip Kabila, 53, of the protections granted to him as a 'senator for life,' a title he received after stepping down from power in 2019. Only five senators opposed the decision.
'The senate authorises the prosecution and lifting of Joseph Kabila's immunity,' declared Speaker Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, following the vote.
The decision follows mounting accusations that Kabila played a direct role in the resurgence of the M23 rebel group, which has seized control of several strategic towns in the eastern DRC, including Goma and Bukavu.
In a statement issued on April 18, the Ministry of Justice claimed it possessed 'a substantial body of documents, testimony, and material facts' linking Kabila to the rebels. It also announced the freezing of all of Kabila's movable and immovable assets and imposed travel restrictions on his alleged collaborators.
Kabila has previously denied any ties to the armed insurgents.
The former Head of State, who has been living in South Africa for the past two years, announced last month that he would return to help find a solution to the conflict in the east. A few days later, he was reported to have re-entered the country through the eastern region, which is under rebel control.
He is expected to address the Congolese people on the night of May 23, 2025, following the lifting of his legal immunity.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
