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  • 5/23/2025
Senators approve Kabila immunity lift

Congolese senators have voted to lift the immunity of former President Joseph Kabila, allowing military prosecutors to pursue legal action against him

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Transcript
00:00Congolese senators have voted to lift the immunity of former President Joseph Kabila,
00:06allowing military prosecutors to pursue legal action against him.
00:09On Thursday, 88 senators voted in favour, with five opposing and three abstaining.
00:15This follows a request from the Justice Minister last month,
00:18asking the military courts to investigate Kabila's alleged direct involvement
00:21with the AFC M23 rebel movement amid rising violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
00:28The military prosecutor accused Kabila of treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and supporting insurrection.
00:35The decision sparked mixed reactions.
00:37Senators from the ruling UDPS party stressed that lifting immunity doesn't mean guilt.
00:43Senator Jules Lodi reminded that Kabila enjoys the presumption of innocence, but said no one is above the law.
00:49Fellow UDPS Senator Jean-Cyph Sekide called the vote historic,
00:54describing the accusations as serious threats to the nation.
00:58Kabila responded quickly on social media, posting on X.
01:01He called the Senate's decision a desperate political act,
01:04criticising it for being rushed and lacking respect for institutional balance.

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