Constant Mutamba has resigned from his government position, claiming he is the target of a political conspiracy allegedly conceived in Kigali and executed by Congolese collaborators.
In a letter to President Félix Tshisekedi, Mutamba portrayed himself as a victim of betrayal and foreign interference, accusing unnamed actors of attempting to derail ongoing government reforms and the national response to the Rwanda-backed M23 rebellion.
However, Mutamba’s dramatic resignation comes at a time when he is under mounting legal and political pressure. He is facing serious charges of embezzlement of public funds, abuse of office, and antagonizing public institutions.
As Justice Minister, he had recently drawn widespread condemnation for threatening to arrest individuals opposed to President Tshisekedi — actions many viewed as a dangerous abuse of prosecutorial power.
In one of the most controversial episodes of his tenure, Mutamba ordered the mass incarceration of dozens of civilians in Goma, accusing them without due process of being collaborators with Rwanda.
Human rights groups have condemned the arrests as arbitrary, unlawful, and politically motivated, with some calling for an independent investigation into the detentions.
Despite building his political career by vocally opposing President Tshisekedi, Mutamba’s rise to power has been widely criticized as opportunistic.
He ultimately became a close ally of the very administration he once attacked — a move some describe as politically expedient, made possible through a dubious ticket enabled by shifting allegiances rather than public support.
Mutamba’s claims of a foreign plot come in the wake of controversial public remarks in which he allegedly stated that he could arrest or even kill Rwandan President Paul Kagame — statements that were considered diplomatically unacceptable and sparked outrage in both domestic and international circles.
In his resignation letter, Mutamba said, “This plot does not target me personally, but seeks to disorganize the government’s response to the Rwandan aggression and to block all the internal reforms underway.”
He went on to accuse Rwanda’s foreign minister and M23/AFC leaders of celebrating his political downfall, alleging that their ultimate objective was his “physical elimination.”
But far from being a political martyr, Mutamba now finds himself facing legal accountability.
Sources close to the matter confirm that he is currently barred from leaving Kinshasa.
Authorities have placed travel restrictions on him pending investigations into financial misconduct and abuse of office. While no formal arrest has been made, the travel ban indicates that the judiciary views him as a flight risk.
Analysts argue that his dramatic resignation is an attempt to reframe his situation — shifting focus from corruption allegations and misuse of power to claims of foreign conspiracies.
“He is trying to go out in flames rather than face justice quietly,” one senior political observer noted.
So far, the Presidency has not officially responded to Mutamba’s resignation or the accusations he has leveled against Rwanda and unnamed Congolese actors.
However, the unfolding situation adds another layer of volatility to DRC’s already tense political landscape — one marked by regional conflict, internal power struggles, and deepening public distrust in state institutions.