DRC security crisis: Makila challenges Tshisekedi’s role in M23 resurgence

In a bold statement that has reignited political debates in Kinshasa, opposition leader and former Vice Prime Minister José Makila Sumanda has squarely placed responsibility for the resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23) on President Félix Tshisekedi, rather than former President Joseph Kabila.

During a live television appearance on Thursday, Makila engaged in a heated discussion with journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala about the ongoing security challenges plaguing eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The former government official categorically denied any alleged collaboration between Kabila and the M23 rebels, asserting that no M23 member ever provided protection to the former head of state.

Makila emphasized that all civilians living under M23 administration in North and South Kivu are subject to the same local security forces, regardless of their political affiliations. “Kabila defended our national territory during his presidency without personal disputes with rebel leaders Makenga or Nanga,” he stated, questioning why the former president should now face criticism for actions he could no longer control.

Tshisekedi’s policies under scrutiny

The opposition figure went further to challenge President Tshisekedi’s handling of the M23 crisis, declaring: “It was not Kabila who brought M23 to Kinshasa—it was Tshisekedi himself”. Makila argued that the current president’s normalization of relations with the rebel group has created an inconsistent narrative that unfairly targets his predecessor.

Addressing the nature of the conflict, Makila drew a sharp distinction between a declared interstate war and an externally supported rebellion. Rejecting comparisons to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he questioned why DRC’s military assets—including Sukhoi jets and drones—have not been deployed to directly strike Rwandan territory if Kinshasa were truly at war with Kigali. “The absence of direct strikes on Rwanda proves this isn’t a state-to-state war,” he asserted.

While Makila remained cautious about military solutions, he firmly positioned himself on the political front. “I am 100% political. I speak only about what I know in politics,” he concluded, refusing to be drawn into military analysis he deemed outside his expertise.