Joseph Kabila’s brother barred from leaving DR Congo

Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila's younger brother was on Wednesday night barred from leaving the country.

Mr Zoé Kabila, who was due to travel to South Africa, was stopped from leaving N'djili Airport in Kinshasa.  

The younger Kabila’s passport was confiscated by immigration officials as he was about to board a plane to South Africa.

The former governor of Tanganyika was, however, given back his travel documents on Thursday, after being interrogated by the country’s intelligence services.

He was due to travel to Johannesburg where his wife and children live. Meanwhile, the former DR Congo president, who is in South Africa, is expected in Kinshasa after a brief stay abroad.

It is yet to be established whether Mr Zoé’s ban from leaving the country is linked to the arrest of Mt François Beya, special adviser to President Félix Tshisekedi on security matters.

 In the past week, prominent people have been arrested in the country after the presidency revealed that there were attempts to undermine state security, a statement that has been denied by several high-ranking politicians, including former Joseph Kabila allies.