Opposition Leader Seth Kikuni Goes Into Exile

Kinshasa, January 19, 2026 - Opposition leader Seth Kikuni has left the country and is now in exile, following what his political allies describe as a discreet, coordinated, and courageous operation that ensured his safety and preserved his physical and moral integrity. In a statement released Monday, the Consultation Framework for Political and Social Forces said the former 2023 presidential candidate faced an imminent arbitrary political procedure, linked to a letter dated December 15, 2025, from the Auditor General of the Supreme Military Court to the Prosecutor General of the Court of Cassation. The coalition expressed its deep gratitude to all individuals and organizations involved in what it called a delicate rescue operation, carried out amid serious threats and flagrant violations of fundamental freedoms. It also announced that Mr. Kikuni would address national and international audiences in the coming days to clarify the circumstances of his departure. Mr. Kikuni was released from Makala Prison on March 1, 2025, after six months of detention, having been sentenced in September 2024 to one year in prison for “incitement to civil disobedience” and “spreading false rumors.” Upon his return to Kinshasa on October 18, 2025, after attending an opposition summit in Nairobi, he was re-arrested at Ndjili International Airport by individuals presenting themselves as members of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR). His passport, confiscated by the Directorate General of Migration, has not been returned. On Monday, the opposition leader also strongly criticized the president’s trip to Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the 56th World Economic Forum.