The Senate of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has made a big decision to lift the legal protection of former President Joseph Kabila, which means he can now be prosecuted for serious crimes like treason and war crimes.
On Thursday, almost 90 senators voted in favor of this motion, while only five were against it.
This decision came after a request from the military prosecutor to take away Kabila’s legal protections that he has had since he left office in 2019.
“The Senate allows the prosecution and lifting of Joseph Kabila’s immunity,” said Senate Speaker Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde after the vote.
Authorities have connected the 53-year-old former president to the M23 rebel group, which has taken control of several towns in the eastern part of the country, known for its conflicts and rich minerals.
Officials mentioned that there is a lot of evidence, including documents and testimonies, that supposedly link Kabila to this armed group.
Kabila, who was in charge of the DRC from 2001 to 2019, did not show up at the Senate to respond to the accusations.
He hasn’t said anything about the recent news, but he has denied being involved with the rebels in the past.
When he left the presidency, Kabila was given the title of “senator for life,” which protected him from being prosecuted. However, that privilege has now been taken away due to increasing demands for accountability.
The former president has been living in South Africa for the last two years but has recently said he plans to come back to the DRC, expressing his desire to help solve the ongoing issues in the east.
