Kabila made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Conspiracy Tracker Great Lakes (CTGL), conducted by researcher Dr. Bojana Coulibaly and journalist Teddy Mazina, following his appointment as leader of the FRN.
Kabila, who led the DRC from 2001 to 2019, argued that elections alone would not resolve the country’s crisis without political openness, independent institutions and guarantees that citizens could campaign and vote without fear.
“Under the current conditions, I have serious doubts,” he said when asked whether credible elections were feasible by 2028.
“If those conditions are not created, elections risk becoming another source of conflict rather than a solution.”
Kabila also accused the administration in Kinshasa of rejecting dialogue in favour of a military solution to the ongoing conflict.
“When you close the political space and decide that the only solution according to Kinshasa is to fight to the last man, what other options do you leave the Congolese people? To sit down and accept to be slaves?” he asked.
The former president said he had previously advocated dialogue as a way out of the crisis but argued that the political environment had since deteriorated.
He maintained that the FRN was fighting for Congolese interests and rejected allegations that the coalition intended to divide the country or act on behalf of foreign powers.
“The FRN’s position is clear: we are Congolese, we are fighting for the Congo, and we reject any form of balkanisation,” he said.
“National unity and the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo are non-negotiable.”
Kabila further called for inclusive peace negotiations in Doha, Qatar, and criticised Kinshasa’s proposed national dialogue, arguing that excluding significant political and social groups would undermine its effectiveness.
“A national dialogue that excludes significant political and social forces is not a national dialogue, it is a monologue,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the country’s political and economic trajectory since he left office in 2019, saying the DRC had lost ground in governance and development.
“My biggest regret is also seeing the Congo become the playground of mercenaries, the playground of anybody who thinks they have money to throw around,” he said.
Kabila added that he regretted seeing ordinary Congolese people become poorer while members of the political elite accumulated wealth abroad.
“That is not the Congo we fought for. But that is the Congo we now have to fight for,” he said.
His remarks come amid continued insecurity in eastern DR Congo and uncertainty over efforts to reach a lasting political settlement.
His leadership of the FRN adds another dimension to the country’s political crisis, raising questions about whether dialogue, elections or a more radical political transformation can offer a path towards stability.
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