THE TRIAL OF KABILA SHOWS HOW POWER IN CONGO HAS LOST ITS SOUL
The death sentence of Joseph Kabila is not just a story about one man. It is a mirror showing how broken our justice and politics have become. The same system that once protected him now calls him a traitor. The same men who once stood beside him now clap as he is condemned to die. C’est le Congo d’aujourd’hui — this is today’s Congo.
A military court has sentenced former president Joseph Kabila to death for treason, war crimes and working with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The court said he helped M23 take new territory in North Kivu, including Goma, which led to thousands of deaths and the displacement of almost one million people. The sentence also said he must pay billions in damages to the government and the provinces.
But where was justice when Kabila ruled? Where was the same court when people were being tortured, arrested, and killed during his time in power? La justice ne doit pas changer avec le vent — justice should not change with the wind. It should not be used as a weapon for revenge.
Many people in Congo are divided. Some say he deserves it. Others say it is a political show by President Tshisekedi to silence an old rival. I believe both can be true. Yes, Kabila must answer for the blood of many innocent people, for the corruption, and for the silence he kept when his people suffered. But he must face real justice, not revenge hidden under the name of law.
We have lived too long under leaders who use justice only when it helps them. When they are in power, they are untouchable. When they fall, they become criminals overnight. This is not justice. This is theatre. It is pain dressed as order.
The trial of Kabila comes at a time when our country is still bleeding from the war in the East. Villages in Rutshuru and Kivu are still being attacked. Women are still raped. Children are still dying in the bush. And yet, instead of healing the country, our leaders are busy fighting each other for power.
Some say the sentencing will destroy the peace talks with M23. But what peace can survive when truth is missing? La vérité d’abord, la paix ensuite — truth first, peace after. The government cannot say it wants peace while it still protects its own allies who are guilty of the same crimes.
Kabila’s story is also a warning to those in power today. Yesterday he was the president. Today he is a fugitive. Tomorrow, it could be someone else. The chair of power does not love anyone. It only uses them.
Our country needs real justice, not selective punishment. We need a truth that looks at everyone, not only those who have fallen out of favour. The mothers who lost their children do not care if the killer was Kabila or Tshisekedi. They just want peace and truth.
Le peuple congolais mérite mieux — the Congolese people deserve better. Until our leaders understand that justice must serve the people, not their pride, our country will continue to move in circles, bleeding and blind.
For me, this sentence is not victory. It is another sign that our system is sick. Congo will not heal through revenge. It will heal only when justice is honest, fair, and the same for all. Until then, I will keep speaking, because silence helps only the powerful.
Good writing, but too emotional. Justice must be firm, not sentimental. The crimes committed under Kabila’s regime were enormous. If the court found him guilty, let the sentence stand. We can’t keep excusing leaders just because we fear instability. The law must apply, even if it shocks us.
Everyone talks about selective justice, but who should we blame, the judges or the politicians who made the system corrupt? Instead of always saying “the government is taking revenge,” we should focus on reforming the judiciary. Criticism alone won’t fix anything. Nous avons besoin de solutions, pas seulement des mots.
Kabila’s death sentence might look like justice, but it’s really a mirror of our hypocrisy. We used to praise him; now we hang him. Tomorrow it will be someone else. The cycle never ends. Le peuple congolais mérite mieux. I hope this article is shared everywhere, because it tells the truth our leaders won’t face.