The political leader Seth Kikuni was arrested on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at N’jili International Airport in Kinshasa, upon his return from Nairobi, Kenya.
A few hours later, the movement Sauvons la RDC issued a press release demanding the unconditional release of their fellow member.
“The movement Sauvons la RDC firmly condemns the abduction of the opponent Seth Kikuni this Saturday morning, under the command of President Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, and demands his immediate and unconditional release,” the statement read.
The movement recalled that Seth Kikuni was the one who read the final declaration of the recent opposition conclave in Nairobi on behalf of the entire delegation.
According to Sauvons la RDC, this arrest is part of a series of acts of repression aimed at silencing anyone who disagrees with President Félix Tshisekedi’s regime, which, they claim, is “gradually turning the whole country into a prison.”
They also reminded that under former President Joseph Kabila, opposition leaders who attended various political meetings, in Genval, Geneva, Nairobi, and elsewhere, were never arrested upon their return to the country.
The movement called on national and international communities to pressure Kinshasa for the immediate release of Seth Kikuni and to urge President Tshisekedi to “stop using justice as his personal property to persecute those who do not align with his governance.”
They warned that if anything happens to Seth Kikuni, President Tshisekedi will be held responsible.
So far, Congolese authorities have not commented on this arrest, while Seth Kikuni’s supporters continue to demand clarity and his release.
