Lieutenant General Jean Claude Kabeya, once a close confidant of President Félix Tshisekedi since he came to power in 2019, has been arrested by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).
Sources from Kinshasa confirm that Lt. Gen. Kabeya was arrested by security forces on the morning of Monday, June 16, 2025, although the charges against him have not yet been disclosed.
His arrest comes as the military intelligence unit of the DRC (DEMIAP) has recently been detaining several high-ranking officers, without specifying the accusations they face.
According to recent reports released by Civil Society organizations, among those detained are at least 29 generals.
Civil Society groups have called on the security services to avoid keeping these military officials in custody for extended periods without trial, as this violates legal procedures.
In response to these concerns, the DRC army spokesperson, General Sylvain Ekenge, stated that “during times of war, swift legal processes are not always appropriate for those arrested.”
Meanwhile, many political observers believe these arrests of senior officers are linked to growing tensions between the Congolese government and former President Joseph Kabila, who recently arrived in Goma—a region controlled by the AFC/M23 coalition that opposes the current regime in Kinshasa.
Lt. Gen. Kabeya, upon Tshisekedi’s rise to power in 2019, was immediately appointed head of the military office known as the “Maison Militaire.”
However, in 2023, he was replaced in that role by Gen. Franck Ntumba. It was later rumored that Kabeya was removed due to President Tshisekedi’s loss of trust in him, especially since he was not assigned any other official role thereafter.
