Former Minister of Communication Lambert Mende Omalanga has lashed out at his former ally, ex-President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of betrayal and political deception in a letter that surfaced Wednesday on social media.
Mende, known for his longstanding anti-Rwanda rhetoric and reputation as one of the DRC’s most notorious propagandists, expressed bitterness over Kabila’s May 23 speech and return to public life via Goma.
“I have the painful impression of having been completely taken for a fool for years,” Mende wrote, suggesting he had been used and discarded by the man he once fiercely defended.
His outburst is being widely interpreted by analysts as a desperate attempt to regain political relevance or curry favor with President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration, possibly in hopes of securing a government position or avoiding political sidelining.
Mende’s main criticism centered on Kabila’s silence regarding Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the eastern DRC conflict.
However, many observers view this criticism as hollow, considering Mende’s history of using inflammatory rhetoric for political gain.
Joseph Kabila, meanwhile, finds himself in a delicate and ironic position.
To re-enter the political scene and protect his remaining influence and assets—some of which have reportedly been frozen—he now depends on the very people he once persecuted and marginalized:the M23.
Once enemies of his regime, M23 forces are seen as one of the few actors capable of offering him protection in the volatile eastern region.
Kabila’s sudden pivot has left many wary. While he may be trying to stage a political comeback, trust is scarce.
His record includes years of autocratic rule, suppression of dissent, and controversial alliances. For many Congolese, his newfound silence on critical national issues—especially Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict—is not just disappointing but dangerously calculated.
As tensions simmer in eastern Congo and political rivalries intensify in Kinshasa, the public fallout between Mende and Kabila reveals a deeper fragmentation among former ruling elites, now scrambling for relevance in a rapidly shifting power landscape.
The drama continues to unfold as the Congolese public watches old power brokers tear into one another while the country’s security crisis worsens.