The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned the party of former President Joseph Kabila from contesting elections for links to the M23 rebel group, which has seized large parts of the east of the country this year.

The ban comes amid reports that Kabila has returned to the country after spending two years in exile in South Africa.

He is said to have returned to the town of Goma, which was seized by the Rwandan-backed M23 in January.

Kabila led DR Congo for 18 years, after succeeding his father Laurent, who was shot dead in 2001. Joseph Kabila was just 29 at the time.

An interior ministry statement said Kabila’s PPRD party’s activities had been banned because of its “ambiguous attitude” toward the M23’s occupation of Congolese territory.

It also noted that Kabila had chosen to return to Goma, where he was being protected by the “enemy”.

On Friday, the government accused Kabila, 53, of high treason and ordered the seizure of all his property.

Kabila has previously denied having links to the M23. He has not commented on the latest moves by the Congolese government or confirmed that he has returned to DR Congo.

On Saturday, his spokesperson, Barbara Nzimbi posted on X that Kabila would be addressing the nation in the coming hours or days.