Overview
- The DRC Senate voted 88 to 5 to lift ex-president Joseph Kabila's lifetime immunity, enabling prosecution for alleged crimes including treason, war crimes, and insurrection.
- Kabila is accused of collaborating with the M23 rebel group, which has seized significant territory in eastern Congo with Rwandan backing.
- President Felix Tshisekedi has alleged Kabila conspired with M23 to overthrow the government, a claim Kabila denies as politically motivated.
- Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) has been suspended, and his properties have been raided by authorities.
- Analysts warn the move could deepen political divisions and exacerbate instability in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC.