The Front pour la refondation de la nation (FRN) was formally announced on Monday, 12 October 2026, in Goma. Former President Joseph Kabila serves as the president of this new rebel movement. The announcement of the FRN on Monday, October 12, 2026, in Goma represents a significant structural change for the armed group.
Transition From AFC to FRN
The Front pour la refondation de la nation (FRN) officially replaces the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a movement now formally dissolved by its leadership. The FRN replaces the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), which is now dissolved. Founders of the FRN stated, "Il y a péril, ne pas agir, c’est trahir." This organizational shift marks a strategic pivot for the armed group. One activist noted the unusual nature of this transition, saying, "Il faut que nous nous distinguions. Il est le premier ancien président au monde à redevenir rebelle après 18 ans au pouvoir." The dissolution of the AFC leaves the FRN as the primary entity under the leadership of Joseph Kabila. Operations previously conducted under the AFC banner are expected to continue under the new organizational structure, according to internal announcements made by the movement.
Leadership and Military Structure
Corneille Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa serve as vice-presidents of the FRN, according to the movement's internal leadership structure. General-major Emmanuel Sultani Makenga, who acts as the chief of staff of the Armée révolutionnaire congolaise (ARC), also holds a leadership position within the newly formed organization. General-major Emmanuel Sultani Makenga, chief of staff of the Armée révolutionnaire congolaise (ARC), is a leader within the FRN.
These figures oversee a military force that previously operated under the AFC/M23 coalition. That coalition captured Goma in January 2025 and subsequently took control of Bukavu in February 2025. The AFC/M23 coalition previously captured Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025. This transition of command structure integrates the established military capabilities of the former coalition into the new FRN framework.
Joseph Kabila, the president of the FRN, remains the subject of a legal action from the Congolese High Military Court. In September 2025, the court sentenced Joseph Kabila to death in absentia. The judicial body cited charges of treason and supporting an insurrection as the basis for the sentence. In September 2025, the Congolese High Military Court sentenced Joseph Kabila to death in absentia for treason and supporting an insurrection. Joseph Kabila is the president of the FRN, and his leadership role persists despite the standing legal actions and the death sentence issued by the Congolese High Military Court. The movement continues to operate under the direction of Joseph Kabila as its president, coordinating with the leadership team including Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, and General-major Emmanuel Sultani Makenga.
