Lenin Ndebele, a Zimbabwean journalist specialising in conflict and security issues in Africa, said the death sentence given to former DRC President Joseph Kabila is recognised in the war-torn country, although carrying it out might be a challenge.

Ndebele believes the former head of state is based in North Kivu, a region not controlled by the DRC government. He noted that the same court tried and sentenced some leaders of the M23 group last year, and their sentences are also recognised in the country.

Ndebele told NBC News that North Kivu province did not participate in the country's last presidential elections. However, he said all assets owned by Kabila and others convicted and sentenced will be forfeited to the state if such assets are within areas controlled by the DRC government.

He said the former president's death sentence has divided the country.

"For those in South and North Kivu, Kabila is a hero who stands for what he believes in, but among the Tshisekedi supporters and those who believe the M23 harm the nation, they are rejoicing; they say justice is served. Remember, Kabila was a senator before he fled the Congo to settle in Zimbabwe and South Africa, where he undertook postgraduate studies. Kabila leads a party that is a major player in Congolese politics and has been at the forefront of blocking Tshisekedi from pursuing a third term in 2028, so Kabila has considerable support in other parts of the country. There is division among the countrymen."

Although there has been no reaction from leaders in the SADC region, Ndebele said Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attempted mediation.

"Ahead of the sentencing, they met with Tshisekedi, urging him to reconsider the Kabila issue, as it would set a bad precedent in the region. After all, Kabila is a major player, and tangible peace talks are needed in the Congo, since the M23 was created in 2012 to fight him because of mistakes he made as president at the time. By fighting the M23, Kabila is now trying to correct wrongs that happened under his watch."

Joseph Kabila was also sentenced to pay a fine of 50 billion U.S. dollars in damages to the Congolese state and victims. He served as president from 2001 to 2019.