Nairobi, October 14, 2025, Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila held a discreet political meeting in Nairobi on Monday, joined by several opposition figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gathering took place at a private ranch, a few kilometers from the Kenyatta International Conference Centre.
The meeting comes amid rising tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, accused of supporting the M23 rebel movement. It also follows Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s rejection of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi’s offer for dialogue during the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels.
Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, was recently sentenced to death in absentia for high treason and alleged collusion with the M23. His conviction has turned the Nairobi meeting into a controversial political statement, which many in Kinshasa see as a challenge to state authority.
The choice of Nairobi is not accidental. The Kenyan capital has long played a role in Congolese political crises and peace processes. This time, analysts believe Kabila is seeking to use Nairobi’s influence to reposition himself on the regional stage and test Kenya’s diplomatic balance between the West, Rwanda, and Kinshasa.
The presence of Congolese fugitives wanted by Kinshasa’s justice system has fueled speculation about President William Ruto’s stance and Nairobi’s possible tolerance of political maneuvers that could destabilize the DRC.
For Kabila, the Nairobi meeting is less about diplomacy than survival. It is an attempt to counter the weight of his conviction by projecting an image of continued political relevance at home. Whether this risky move pays off will depend on how Kinshasa, its regional partners, and the international community respond to what some describe as a calculated act of defiance.
Nairobi Times
