The Democratic Republic of Congo suspended the political party Piste pour l’Émergence, led by Seth Kikuni Masudi, over alleged ties to the M23 and its AFC coalition. A decree dated Oct. 28, 2025, signed by Interior Vice Prime Minister Jacques Nanga, cited Kikuni’s attendance at an Oct. 14 to 15 conclave in Nairobi chaired by former president Joseph Kabila. Authorities say the gathering sought to mobilize political and military figures aligned with the rebellion, accused of aggression in eastern Congo. The order takes immediate effect and bars the party from political, financial, and public activity pending judicial proceedings.
Officials referenced Article 6 of the Constitution and the March 15, 2004, law on political parties, saying any engagement with paramilitary or insurgent aims triggers prohibition. The government has long accused Rwanda of backing M23 operations, a claim Kigali denies. M23 and AFC hold parts of North Kivu, displacing hundreds of thousands and straining regional diplomacy led by the East African Community and the Doha Process. The suspension signals a widening crackdown on actors seen as sympathetic to armed groups.
Officials referenced Article 6 of the Constitution and the March 15, 2004, law on political parties, saying any engagement with paramilitary or insurgent aims triggers prohibition. The government has long accused Rwanda of backing M23 operations, a claim Kigali denies. M23 and AFC hold parts of North Kivu, displacing hundreds of thousands and straining regional diplomacy led by the East African Community and the Doha Process. The suspension signals a widening crackdown on actors seen as sympathetic to armed groups.
