Ex-DR Congo President Joseph Kabila Launches New Coalition With M23 Rebels to Challenge Tshisekedi’s Government

Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has launched a new political-military coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), bringing together key figures linked to the M23 rebel movement in a bid to challenge President Félix Tshisekedi’s government.

The coalition was unveiled in Goma on Monday, October 12, 2026, with rebel-linked leaders Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, Freddy Kaniki and Sultani Makenga taking up senior positions. The group says it intends to unite opposition forces to reshape the country’s leadership, stating that it is prepared to use force.

The move comes as fighting continues in eastern DR Congo, where M23 has seized significant territory, raising fresh concerns about regional stability and the future of ongoing peace negotiations. Kabila, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2019, has previously denied allegations of supporting the rebels and has described legal proceedings against him as politically motivated. #DRC

At least 20 Blackwater mercenaries have been killed in an ambush in eastern DR Congo.

Among the wounded is former UFC fighter and US Green Beret Tim Kennedy, who reportedly suffered three gunshot wounds to the leg.

No white mercenary should be allowed on African soil. #DRC

JUST IN: Blackwater founder Erik Prince's forces ambushed in Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving 20 people dead or injured, including former UFC fighter and Green Beret Tim Kennedy (wounded), according to Reuters.

Vectus Global, headed by Prince, has reportedly been operating in Congo.

Congo's government says there was an attack on September 17 that left 20 dead or wounded.

Reuters reports that Rwandan forces backing the M23 rebels may have launched a surprise attack after tracking a surveillance drone to their location.

At least seven Congolese were killed and a former member of ⁠New Zealand's Special Forces.

Kennedy and another foreign contractor were reportedly wounded.

The former UFC fighter and Green Beret reportedly suffered three gunshot wounds to the leg. He is currently at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, being treated. #DRC

President Tshisekedi’s most serious challenge is the sexual violence faced by Civilians, while authorities appear unable to provide an effective response.
This is unacceptable. A state must protect its people, not abandon them. 💔
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #DRC

Scientists are testing an Ebola vaccine against a virus it was never designed to prevent, as the Democratic Republic of Congo races to contain an outbreak that has now crossed 8,000 confirmed cases.
#DRC

Rumours that strangers can make men’s private parts shrink or disappear have sparked deadly mob attacks across parts of Africa, leaving more than 80 people dead.

The deaths were recorded between October 2025 and July 2026, according to police data compiled by BBC researchers across six countries.

The rumours were reported in DR Congo, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Kenya, with social media helping them spread.

Authorities and medical checks found no evidence that anyone’s genitals had actually disappeared through physical contact.

#Tanzania #DRC #Burundi #Zambia #Angila #Malawi

Ebola outbreak in DRC continues to spread, with North Kivu accounting for nearly half of newly recorded infections, Doctors Without Borders says #DRC

🇨🇩 Tension in Kinshasa as Police Disperse Anti-Constitutional Reform Protests

Police in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse hundreds of protesters demonstrating against proposed constitutional changes.

Opposition groups say the proposed changes could pave the way for President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term in 2028, while the government maintains that the right to protest must be exercised lawfully.

The demonstrations, organised by the opposition C64 coalition, also took place in other cities as political tensions continue to rise over the country’s constitutional future.

#DRC #Congo #Kinshasa #Tshisekedi

🚨 MIRU SYSTEMS: A GLOBAL ELECTION-TECHNOLOGY COMPANY FACING SERIOUS QUESTIONS OVER ITS TRACK RECORD

South Korean election-technology company Miru Systems, founded in 1999, has supplied or deployed election technology across a number of countries, including South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, Russia, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Philippines, Fiji, El Salvador and Guinea-Conakry. Miru itself lists these countries among its international election projects, while its current corporate history also identifies major projects in Iraq, DRC, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and the Philippines.

But its international record has attracted significant scrutiny.

🇨🇩 DRC: Miru's election technology became the subject of major concerns over reliability, security and ballot secrecy during the 2018 electoral process. A former Congolese prime minister also filed a complaint against Miru with the Korean National Contact Point under the OECD Guidelines.

🇮🇶 IRAQ: Miru secured a major contract to supply electronic vote-counting equipment for Iraq's elections, with the deal reportedly worth about US$100 million. The country's subsequent electoral process faced serious disputes over vote-counting technology and results.

🇵🇭 PHILIPPINES: Miru won an almost ₱18 billion contract to supply an automated election system for the 2025 elections, including approximately 110,000 automated counting machines. The contract attracted scrutiny from election watchdogs because of Miru's previous international record.

🇿🇲 ZAMBIA: Miru has also been involved in the country's voter-registration technology procurement ahead of the 2026 elections. Transparency International Zambia raised serious concerns about the procurement process and cited Miru's controversial record in previous elections.

🇦🇷 ARGENTINA: Miru technology was also associated with proposed electronic voting systems for Argentina, while reporting at the time raised questions about the procurement and subsequent use of the technology.

The broader international footprint includes Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, Russia, Fiji, El Salvador and Guinea-Conakry, according to Miru's own company history and corporate materials.

⚠️ Important: These controversies do not by themselves prove that Miru Systems rigged elections. However, the documented disputes, technical concerns, procurement controversies and scrutiny surrounding some of its deployments raise legitimate questions about transparency, cybersecurity, independent auditing, source-code access, procurement integrity and safeguards against manipulation.

The question every country using election technology should be asking is simple:

Who independently audits the system?
Who can verify the source code?
Who controls the technology?
And what happens when the system fails?

🗳️ Election technology should never be trusted blindly. It must be independently tested, auditable and verifiable.

#MiruSystems #ElectionIntegrity #ElectionTechnology #Democracy #Africa #Zambia #DRC #Iraq #Philippines #Kenya