Kinshasa Calls on U.S. to Issue Arrest Warrant for Kabila
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), through the ruling party Union for Democracy and Social Progress, has formally urged the United States to issue an international arrest warrant for former president Joseph Kabila.
The request was confirmed by UDPS Secretary-General Augustin Kabuya during a march held on Monday, May 4, in Kinshasa. The demonstration was organized to show support for recent U.S. sanctions imposed on Kabila.
According to Kabuya, the appeal was submitted through an official letter delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. He stated that the demonstration also aimed to send a strong message to the international community backing Washington’s decision.
“During our march, we also called on the U.S. leadership, particularly President Donald Trump, to consider issuing an international arrest warrant against Joseph Kabila,” Kabuya said.
On April 30, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), announced sanctions against Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019. The sanctions were imposed over allegations that he supported the March 23 Movement and the Alliance du fleuve Congo, both linked to ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
Kabila has strongly rejected the accusations, dismissing the sanctions as baseless and politically motivated claims driven by authorities in Kinshasa.
