Congo bans former president, Kabila’s party, accuses him of rebel ties

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has banned the party of former President Joseph Kabila.

The leadership of the Central African country accused Kabila of links to the M23 rebel group which has seized large parts of the east of the country this year.

According to the BBC, an interior ministry statement said all activities of Kabila’s PPRD party had been banned because of its “ambiguous attitude” to the occupation of Congolese territory by the M23.

The ban comes amid reports that Kabila has returned to DR Congo after spending two years in South Africa.

Kabila is said to have returned to the town of Goma, which was seized by the Rwandan-backed M23 in January.

He led DR Congo for 18 years, after succeeding his father Laurent, who was shot dead in 2001.

Kabilla was just 29 at the time when he succeeded his father.

Just on Friday, the government accused Kabila of high treason and ordered the seizure of all his property.

The 53-year-old has previously denied having links to the M23.

Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, the PPRD has not commented on the ban.