During a live broadcast on Space with journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, opposition leader and former Vice Prime Minister José Makila Sumanda delivered sharp remarks on the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the role of former President Joseph Kabila in this crisis.

Addressing claims that Kabila had links with the M23 rebel movement, Makila dismissed accusations of collusion. « No M23 member has ever protected Joseph Kabila, » he stated, emphasizing that all civilians living under M23 control in North and South Kivu are governed by the same local authorities. He argued that Kabila, during his presidency, merely defended national territorial integrity without personal conflicts with rebel leaders such as Makenga or Nanga. « What is he being blamed for now? » he challenged.

Makila went further, shifting responsibility to President Félix Tshisekedi, stating that « It is not Kabila who brought M23 to Kinshasa — it is Tshisekedi. » He claimed that the current head of state normalized relations with the rebel group, making any criticism of his predecessor logically inconsistent.

The former vice prime minister also drew a sharp distinction between a declared interstate war and an externally backed rebellion. Rejecting comparisons with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he maintained that the DRC is not formally at war with Rwanda. He questioned why the DRC’s Sukhoi jets and drones have not directly struck Rwandan territory, arguing this absence of cross-border strikes proves it is not an interstate war.

While cautious about military interpretations, Makila firmly grounded his analysis in political terms. « I am 100% political. I speak only from what I know in politics, » he concluded, refusing to engage in military or strategic debate.