Uvira Territory

Uvira Territory is a territory located in South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Encompassing an area of roughly 3,146 kilometers and with a population estimate of 1,165,092 as of 2020, it is bordered by Walungu Territory to the north, Mwenga Territory to the west, and Fizi Territory to the south. The territory's southeastern boundary is defined by the city of Uvira, which attained city status on 13 June 2019, while the eastern perimeter adjoins the Republic of Burundi and Lake Tanganyika. Within the territory, Kiliba and Sange serve as significant towns.

Uvira Territory is administratively divided into three chiefdoms: the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, subdivided into five '' groupements''; the Bavira Chiefdom, with seven ''groupements''; and the Ruzizi Plain Chiefdom, comprising four ''groupements''. The territory lies approximately 120 kilometers from Bukavu, 88 kilometers from Baraka, and 26.5 kilometers from Bujumbura. National Road 5 is the primary transportation artery, connecting Uvira with major cities such as Bukavu and Lubumbashi. The local economy is predominantly based on agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, and trade, particularly in agricultural produce and essential consumer goods.

Geography

Location

Uvira Territory is located between the Ruzizi Plain to the east and the Mitumba Mountains to the west, forming part of the western branch of the East African Rift system. This area lies within the Albertine Rift, a sub-region of the Great Rift Valley. Its topography features a stepped relief, with altitudes ranging from 770 meters in the coastal plains near Lake Tanganyika to 3,250 meters in the mountainous regions. This diverse landscape includes coastal plains, rolling foothills, and steep mountain slopes, all intersected by numerous waterways that drain into Lake Tanganyika and Ruzizi River. The highlands are characterized by rich green vegetation, including forests and savannahs, which support a diverse range of flora and fauna.

Hydrology

The Ruzizi River links Lake Kivu to Lake Tanganyika, serving as a significant water body in the region. It provides water for irrigation and supports agricultural activities. The river collects water from several rivers originating from the hills of Burundi and the western part of the Ruzizi Plain. The most important rivers in the Congolese part are the Luvimvi River in Katogota, the Luvubu River in Lubarika, the Luvungi River in Luvungi, the Luberizi River in Luberizi, the Sange River in Sange, and the Runingu River in Runingu in the Uvira Territory. The rivers found in the city of Uvira include the Kiliba Rivers (which flow into the Ruzizi), Kavimvira, Mulongwe, and Kalimabenge. These three large rivers cross the city of Uvira and flow directly into Lake Tanganyika.

Geology

Uvira Territory is home to a variety of soil types and mineral resources. Predominantly sandy soils dominate, with zones of sandy loam and intermittent sandy clay. The northwestern basin of Lake Tanganyika, encompassing Uvira, features geological formations from both the Precambrian and Quaternary periods. In the Ruzizi Plain, which forms a significant part of the territory, soils can be classified into black earth of the Chernozem group, Solonchak-type soils, and alkaline variants.

The subsoil is rich in mineral resources, including cassiterite in Lemera and Luvungi, gold in Luberizi and Bijombo, aquamarine in Ndolera, iron in the Munanira Mountains, and amethyst in Kalungwe. Despite the significant mineral endowment, large-scale industrial exploitation remains absent. Instead, the mining sector is dominated by artisanal methods, yielding considerable yet undocumented outputs through informal practices.

Vegetation

Five primary vegetation types can be identified: marshes and marshy meadows, which are predominantly populated by macrophytes and reeds; grassy savannas dominated by species such as ''Imperata cylindrica'', '' Hyparrhenia spp.'', '' Eragrostis spp.'', ''Urochloa eminii'' (''Brachiaria ruziziensis'' or Congo grass), and '' Pennisetum spp''. These savannas serve as vital agricultural and pastoral reserves for local communities. Wooded savannas, characterized by the prevalence of '' Acacia kirkii'', provide a transitional zone between grassland and forested areas. Xerophilous groves also contribute to the landscape, adapting to drier conditions. Forests, though now reduced to relic patches, are found primarily in transitional zones between savanna and forest ecosystems.

The region is also home to several medicinal plants valued by the local population, including ''Syzygium guineense'', ''Tetradenia riparia'', ''Plantago palmata'', and '' Rhus vulgaris''. Some of these plants have been analyzed in vitro by Congolese scientists, revealing their phytochemical properties, though many remain understudied.

Climate

Uvira Territory experiences a semi-arid climate, influenced by its varied topography and classified under the Köppen–Geiger climate classification. The lower-altitude zones of the territory—comprising Lubarika, Kiliba, and Luberizi—are positioned within the tropical zone (Aw1-3) and lie below 1,000 meters above sea level, receiving an annual precipitation of approximately 1,600 millimeters. Conversely, the high-altitude areas, such as the plateaus of Sange, and Katobo, are located within the high and medium-altitude tropical zone, which ranges between 1,000 and 2,800 meters above sea level. These elevated regions also experience an annual rainfall of around 1,600 mm, despite their differing climatic characteristics.

The territory experiences a pronounced biphasic seasonal cycle, characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry season extends from May to October, characterized by minimal precipitation, except for occasional storms that provide some rain. In contrast, the wet season spans November to May, bringing sustained rainfall to the region.

Temperature patterns in Uvira Territory are influenced by the seasonal cycle. Monthly average temperatures fluctuate between 22.5°C and 25°C throughout the year. Peak maximum temperatures, ranging from 30.5°C to 32.5°C, manifest toward the conclusion of the dry season in September. Conversely, the lowest minimum temperatures, between 14.5°C and 17°C, are recorded during the middle of the dry season in July. Relative insolation levels also exhibit variability, with monthly averages oscillating between 35% and 60% during the wet season (October to April) and rising to 50% to 80% in the dry season (May to September). July typically records the highest levels of solar radiation.

Administrative divisions

Initially recognized by the royal decree of 28 March 1912 as part of the Kivu District, Uvira Territory's boundaries and organization were later refined by Ordinance-Law No. 21/91 of 25 February 1938 and subsequent amendments, including Decree-Law No. 67/221 of 3 May 1967. These legal frameworks defined the territorial configuration, which remains largely intact today.

Current administrative divisions

Uvira Territory consists of two urban centers, three chiefdoms, four administrative posts, and three communes. Established on 25 February 1938, the territory originally included three urban centers: Uvira, Kiliba, and Sange, all of which were elevated to city status by Presidential Order No. 87/723 on 29 June 1987. Later, on 13 June 2019, Uvira was reclassified as a city through Presidential Decree No. 13/029, leaving Kiliba and Sange as the principal towns within the territory.

Chiefdoms and administrative posts

Three chiefdoms— Bafuliiru, Bavira, and the Ruzizi Plain—define the territory. The Bafuliiru Chiefdom occupies the northern area between the Luvinvi and Kawizi Rivers and is predominantly inhabited by the Fuliiru people. The Bavira Chiefdom lies to the south, between the Kawizi and Kambekulu Rivers, with the Vira people as its main population. The Ruzizi Plain Chiefdom, located in the eastern section along the Ruzizi River and the road connecting Bukavu to Uvira, is primarily home to the Fuliiru people. These chiefdoms coexist with administrative management posts located in Makobola, Luvungi, Mulenge, and Kagando, which ensure efficient local governance.

''Communes'' (municipalities)

The territory has three rural municipalities with less than 80,000 voters:

* Kiliba, (29,127 voters, 7 councillors)
* Luvungi, (24,378 voters, 7 councillors)
* Sange, (32,279 voters, 7 councillors)

History

Early history

The Bazoba fishermen were the first to settle in the region. They settled along the shores of Lake Tanganyika and relied heavily on the lake's resources for their sustenance and livelihoods. In the 17th century, the Banyalenge immigrants, led by their chief Lenge, settled in the region around Lake Tanganyika, coming from Lwindi near the Ulindi River in the mountainous hinterland. Over time, they became known as the Bavira.

Following the establishment of the Bavira, the Bahamba clan of the Fuliiru people migrated to the area alongside eight other clans. According to Alfred Moeller de Laddersous, the Bahamba (''Wahamba'') clan changed their eponym to Bafuliiru. Consequently, the Bafuliiru clashed with the Bavira at the Kiliba River, after which the Bafuliiru established themselves north of the Bavira and partially within Bavira territory. They had their own paramount leader who did not depend on the Bavira paramount. The Bafulirru gradually occupied several localities in Uvira, intermarried with Bavira, and some were assimilated into Fuliiru clans.

Barundi and Banyarwanda immigration

In the second half of the 19th century, Banyarwanda and Barundi pastoralists from the mountainous regions of Rwanda and Burundi settled in the area. They were accommodated by Fuliiru chiefs and established themselves in Vira and the Fuliiru territories of Mulenge and Upper Sange.

During the colonial era (1908–1960), the region hosted a second wave of immigrants who arrived as part of the ''Mission d'immigration des Banyarwanda'' (MIB), a movement to transplant Banyarwanda to the Belgian Congo driven by the Belgian colonial authorities who needed a workforce in European plantations and the mines of ''Union Minière du Haut Katanga''. In 1928, the Belgian colonial power created new chiefdoms for Barundi, Banyarwanda, and the Arabized populace in the territory of Bafuliiru. The creation of these chiefdoms was met with fierce resistance by Mwami Mahima Mukogabwe, a Fuliiru chieftain of Bafuliiru Chiefdom (''Chefferie de Bafuliiru''), who considered it an encroachment on the authority of his chiefdom.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the region hosted a third wave of immigrants during the Rwandan Revolution, a period which experienced the abolition of the Rwandan monarchy and the establishment of a Hutu-dominated government. Consequently, numerous Tutsis who were affiliated with the oppressive monarchy, including their ''Umwami'' (King), sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Uganda, Congo-Léopoldville, and Tanzania, resulting in their mass exodus. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) facilitated the settlement of refugees in historically significant sites such as Lemera, Mulenge, and Katobo, mirroring the locations where their predecessors sought refuge in the 19th century. Many of these refugees ended up dispersing throughout various parts of the Kivu Region and settling in some of its most remote and inaccessible areas.

Conflict and insecurity

First Congo War

Uvira Territory has been plagued by armed conflicts, militia activity, and inter-communal tensions for over three decades, leading to violence, mass displacement, and human rights violations. The region became a major battleground during the First Congo War, a conflict largely triggered by the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Following the genocide, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), under Paul Kagame, seized power in Rwanda, toppling Juvénal Habyarimana's Hutu extremist regime. However, rather than solely focusing on neutralizing the Hutu militias responsible for the genocide, the RPF engaged in mass killings of Hutu civilians. Reports by Robert Gersony, a consultant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), revealed that the RPF systematically executed approximately 5,000 to 10,000 Hutus per month during the spring and summer of 1994. These killings often followed a pattern in which RPF soldiers would convene local inhabitants for so-called "peace and reconciliation meetings", only to execute them en masse.

In the wake of the genocide, more than two million Rwandan Hutus, including both civilians and members of the Interahamwe militia, fled to eastern Zaire, particularly in North and South Kivu. At the same time, Mobutu Sese Seko's Zairean government had become increasingly weak and incapable of maintaining control over its vast territory. As tensions escalated in early 1996, the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), the Ugandan military, and the Forces Armées Burundaises (FAB) supported Banyamulenge and other Tutsi armed groups in Burundi. In April 1996, Banyamulenge and allied Tutsi forces reportedly killed eight to ten refugees at the Runingu camp before moving toward the ''Hauts'' and ''Moyens Plateaux''. On 6 October, Banyamulenge armed units carried out a massacre in the village of Kidoti, killing over fifty people, the majority of whom were civilians. Some victims were killed by shrapnel, while others were executed after being forced to dig their mass graves. That same day, in Lemera, Banyamulenge forces attacked a hospital, killing 37 people, including two medical staff members, civilians, and wounded FAZ soldiers receiving treatment. Before departing, the attackers looted the hospital. Another attack occurred on the night of 13–14 October, when the Runingu camp was assaulted, leaving at least four dead and seven wounded. Witnesses noted that these attacks came shortly after the ex-Forces Armées Rwandaises (ex-FAR), Interahamwe, and Burundian rebel factions had withdrawn, indicating that the victims were primarily civilians rather than combatants.

On 18 October, the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL) was formed under the leadership of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, with backing from the RPA and FAB. That year, the UNHCR estimated that Uvira Territory hosted around 219,466 refugees, two-thirds of whom were Burundian nationals. These refugees were dispersed across eleven camps along the Ruzizi River, rendering them highly vulnerable to attacks. That same day, AFDL and RPA forces launched their offensive, killing at least 88 civilians in Kiliba, with 15 buried in Uvira. The AFDL-RPA units also carried out mass killings in Bwegera, where at least 51 civilians were executed, prompting the Red Cross to organize mass burials. After FAZ forces had abandoned the village, fleeing residents attempted to escape into the mountains towards Kiringye but were intercepted and executed. The Red Cross subsequently buried the bodies in mass graves. Following these operations, the AFDL forces were divided into two units, one advancing north towards Luvungi and the other south towards Luberizi. As the AFDL and its allies progressed, reports of widespread human rights violations emerged, particularly targeting Rwandan and Burundian refugee camps in Uvira Territory. Between October and November 1996, Banyamulenge and other Tutsi armed units launched coordinated attacks on camps in Runingu, Rwenena, Lubarika, Kanganiro, and Luvungi. These assaults, carried out with heavy weaponry, resulted in significant loss of life among the refugee populations. On 20 October, units of the AFDL, RPA, and FAB launched coordinated assaults on several refugee camps. At the Itara I and II refugee camps near Luvungi village, at least 100 Burundian and Rwandan refugees were killed. In the neighboring village of Katala, fleeing refugees were captured and executed at point-blank range, with soldiers later forcing local civilians to bury the bodies in mass graves. Further killings took place in the Kanganiro refugee camp in Luvungi, where an unknown number of refugees, including approximately twenty in the camp's hospital, were killed. Refugees who had sought shelter in Zairean homes in Luvungi were also targeted, their bodies later buried in mass graves by force. In Rubenga village, refugees and Zairean civilians attempting to flee toward Burundi were killed, with their bodies disposed of in the Ruzizi River.

The following day, on 21 October, AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces attacked the Lubarika refugee camp and its surrounding village, killing an undetermined number of Rwandan and Burundian refugees, as well as Zairean civilians attempting to escape after the withdrawal of the ''Forces Armées Zaïroises'' (FAZ). Local residents were once again compelled to bury the bodies in four large mass graves. That same day, in the village of Kakumbukumbu, approximately five kilometers from Lubarika camp, thirty refugees were burned alive inside a house. Another large-scale massacre occurred at the Luberizi refugee camp, situated between Luberizi and Mutarule, where around 370 refugees were killed with heavy weapons, and their bodies discarded in pit latrines. Additional killings took place in the villages of Luberizi and Mutarule, where more than sixty victims were found inside houses. On 24 October, AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces attacked the Kagunga refugee camp, killing an unknown number of refugees. Reports from direct witnesses confirmed at least eight deaths. Similar killings took place at the village of Hongero, located one kilometer from Kagunga, where refugees fleeing alongside Zaireans were targeted.

As AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces captured Uvira on the night of 24–25 October, effectively defeating the FAZ across the entire Uvira Territory, Burundian and Rwandan refugees scattered in multiple directions. Some fled toward Fizi Territory, continuing to North Katanga, Tanzania, or Zambia, while others sought escape routes through Kabare and Walungu Territories. A significant number of Burundian refugees attempted to return to Burundi but were often intercepted at the Kiliba Sugar Refinery and nearby villages, including Ndunda, Ngendo, and Mwaba. On 25 October, AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces executed an unknown number of refugees hiding in abandoned dwellings in sectors 3 and 4 of the Kiliba Sugar Refinery. From this period onward, AFDL and RPA soldiers also began recruiting child soldiers in Uvira, Fizi Territory, and Bukavu. In Bukavu, recruitment was particularly concentrated at the AFDL headquarters in the Lolango Building on Avenue Maniema. These child recruits received basic military training in Kidoti, before being deployed to the front lines. Between 1–2 November, a massacre occurred in the village of Ndunda, near the Burundian border, where approximately 250 civilians—comprising more than 200 refugees and around thirty Zaireans—were indiscriminately killed. The refugees had sought shelter in Ndunda, hoping to receive protection from CNDD-FDD militiamen stationed nearby. During the attack, some attempted to escape by crossing the Ruzizi River, only to drown in the process. Additionally, Zairean villagers were executed under accusations of supporting the CNDD-FDD. On 24 November, in the village of Mwaba, AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces burned alive 24 Burundian Hutu refugees from the Biriba camp. Upon their arrival in the village, the soldiers rounded up its inhabitants, releasing Zairean civilians after interrogation but locking the Burundian refugees inside a house, which they then set on fire.

Mass killings under the guise of repatriation efforts

AFDL soldiers, alongside RPA and FAB forces, established a series of checkpoints across the Ruzizi Plain, including in Bwegera, Sange, Luberizi, and Kiliba, as well as at strategic locations such as the entrance to Uvira, Makobola II (Fizi Territory), and the Rushima ravine (Uvira Territory). At these checkpoints, people were reportedly screened based on their nationality under the pretext of repatriation. Those identified as Rwandan or Burundian Hutus, often determined by their accent, physical appearance, or clothing, were systematically separated from other intercepted individuals and executed in nearby areas. Numerous mass killings were documented in this period. On 22 October 1966, in the Rushima ravine between Bwegera and Luberizi, AFDL, RPA, and FAB soldiers executed nearly 550 Rwandan Hutu refugees who had escaped the Luberizi and Rwenena camps. The killings continued between 27 October and 1 November, as additional refugees were lured to the Rushima ravine under the false promise of repatriation and subsequently executed. Following these events, units of the AFDL, RPA, and FAB carried out further massacres, including at Kahororo, in sector 7 of the Kiliba Sugar Refinery, where an undetermined number of refugees who had been apprehended in surrounding villages were killed. On 29 October, approximately 220 male refugees were executed near the church of the 8th CEPZA (''Communauté des Églises de Pentecôte au Zaïre'', now CEPAC—''Communauté des Églises de Pentecôte en Afrique Centrale'') in Luberizi. The soldiers had deceived the refugees into believing they were being rounded up for repatriation, only to separate the men from the rest of the group and kill them with gunfire or bayonets. Their bodies were then buried in mass graves near the church.

Further atrocities followed in November and December 1996. On 3 November, AFDL, RPA, and FAB forces burned 72 Rwandan refugees alive at the COTONCO headquarters near Bwegera, after detaining them under the pretext of repatriation. On 13 November, approximately 100 Burundian refugees were executed in the village of Ngendo, seven kilometers from Sange. On 8 December, in Rukogero, nine kilometers from Sange, AFDL, RPA, and FAB soldiers killed 13 male refugees from a group of 200 to 300 people who had fled the Kibogoye camp. The women and girls were allowed to leave, while the men and boys were executed and their bodies discarded in the pit latrines beside the 8th CEPZA church. Another massacre occurred on 12 December in the village of Ruzia, where 15 civilians—including refugees from the Luberizi/Mutarule camp and Zairean civilians—were killed during a military operation aimed at flushing out refugees hiding among the local population. Some victims were burned alive in a house, while others were shot, and their bodies were buried in three mass graves.

One of the most severe incidents took place on 22 December 1996, at Ruzia along the banks of the Ruzizi River. AFDL, RPA, and FAB soldiers killed at least 150 people, most of whom were refugees who had survived the Runingu camp attack. The victims, hiding in the forest, were discovered and executed, and their bodies were burned two days later. Another report suggested that the number of victims could have been as high as 600.

By May 1997, AFDL and Banyamulenge forces had seized control of large swaths of Zaire, culminating in the capture of the capital, Kinshasa. Mobutu fled the country, and Laurent-Désiré Kabila assumed power, renaming the nation the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That same month, in Uvira, AFDL and RPA units killed 126 civilians during a demonstration protesting the murder of eight individuals by suspected members of the newly established AFDL security forces. Following the massacre, soldiers sealed off the area and disposed of most of the bodies in two mass graves in the "''Biens mal acquis''" district, where they had set up their headquarters. Over the following days, residents recovered and buried eight additional bodies. In July 1997, soldiers from the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC) and the RPA carried out another massacre, killing between 500 and 800 people in the villages of Kazumba, Talama, Mukungu, and Kabanga, located on the border between Katanga and South Kivu provinces. These villages had served as bases for the small-scale militia known as Jeshi la Jua (Swahili for "Sun Army"), which was engaged in armed resistance against the new regime. The massacre was carried out in retaliation for a prior Jeshi la Jua attack that had resulted in a single fatality among FAC and RPA forces. The killings, which took place over several days, indiscriminately targeted both combatants and civilians.

Second Congo War

The outbreak of the Second Congo War plunged Uvira Territory into further turmoil, as the conflict emerged from the deteriorating relationship between Laurent-Désiré Kabila and his former Rwandan and Ugandan allies. Kabila, who had seized power from Mobutu, was accused of marginalizing Tutsi factions within his government while favoring his Katangan allies. Allegations surfaced that the United States had provided military assistance to Rwanda before the conflict, supposedly to secure access to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's vast natural resources. A U.S. Army Rwanda Interagency Assessment Team (RIAT) was deployed in July 1998 to train Rwandan military units, and reports from war correspondent Keith Harmon Snow implicated U.S. figures such as Roger Winter of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in supporting insurgencies.

Tensions escalated in July 1998 when Kabila, fearing a ''coup d'état'', dismissed Rwandan General James Kabarebe as Chief of Staff of the Congolese army and ordered all RPA soldiers to withdraw from Congolese territory. This decision provoked strong reactions from Rwanda and Uganda, which subsequently supported the formation of a new rebel faction, the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD). On 2 August 1998, mutinous Congolese troops allied with the RPA, the Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF), the FAB, and remnants of the ex-FAZ declared their rebellion via Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) in Goma. Within weeks, this coalition, now under the banner of the RCD, had seized control of major towns in North and South Kivu, Orientale Province, and North Katanga, and advanced into Équateur Province. However, its offensive in Bas-Congo Province (now Kongo Central) and Kinshasa was repelled due to military intervention by Angola and Zimbabwe in support of Kabila. As a result, the country was effectively divided into two zones: one controlled by Kabila's government, backed by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), the Forças Armadas Angolanas, the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), the Armée Nationale Tchadienne (ANT), and Sudan, and the other controlled by the armed wing of the RCD, the '' Armée Nationale Congolaise'' (ANC), alongside the RPA, UPDF, and FAB. The conflict grew increasingly complex, with Kabila forming alliances with Mayi-Mayi armed groups, the Burundian Hutu rebel group '' Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie'' (FDD), and ex-FAR/Interahamwe forces, later reorganized under the ''Armée de Libération du Rwanda'' (ALiR), to counter the influence of the ANC and RPA in North and South Kivu. Meanwhile, Uganda, which controlled large parts of Orientale Province, established and backed the ''Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo'' (MLC), led by Jean-Pierre Bemba, to govern the territories it had captured in Équateur Province. By March 1999, tensions between Rwanda and Uganda over strategic differences led to a split within the RCD, resulting in a pro-Rwandan faction, RCD-Goma, and a pro-Ugandan faction, ''RCD-Mouvement de Libération'' (RCD-ML).

Although RCD-Goma's army, the ANC, rapidly occupied urban centers in South Kivu alongside the RPA, they, along with the FAB, faced difficulties in securing control over rural regions. The RCD's alignment with Tutsi and Banyamulenge communities, its dependence on Rwandan support, and the widespread violence committed by its forces alienated much of the local population. Many young men joined Mayi-Mayi armed groups or helped form new militias, such as Mudundu 40 in Walungu Territory. Some of these groups allied with the ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the Hutu armed factions that had reorganized under the ALiR, as well as the Burundian Hutu group CNDD-FDD. While certain Mayi-Mayi factions, such as General Padiri's division in Bunyakiri and Colonel Dunia's ''Forces d'Autodéfense Populaires'' (FAP) in Shabunda Territory, received arms and financial support from Kinshasa to coordinate their operations, most groups operated independently. In response to attacks by Mayi-Mayi forces, the ANC, RPA, and FAB troops intensified search operations, engaged in widespread sexual violence, and systematically targeted civilians.
On 6 August 1998, ANC, RPA, and FAB units killed tens of civilians in Uvira. Hundreds of victims died while attempting to flee combat zones or were executed during search operations following the fighting. Soldiers also committed mass rapes during these operations. That same day, ANC forces executed 13 people, including the chief of Kiringye, in Lwiburule, northwest of Uvira. Other victims were killed in the chief's house. Also on 6 August, the ANC and RPA forces massacred 15 civilians in the villages of Kivovo, Kigongo, and Kalungwe, south of Uvira. Victims were stabbed or shot near the main port in Kalundu and at SEP Congo facilities, with local youth and Red Cross members later forced to bury the dead in mass graves.

Between 30 December 1998, and 2 January 1999, ANC, RPA, and FAB soldiers killed more than 800 people in the villages of Makobola II, Bangwe, Katuta, Mikunga, and Kashekezi in Fizi Territory, south of Uvira. The massacres included acts of pillaging and destruction, with women, children, Red Cross volunteers, and religious leaders among the victims. Some were burned alive in houses set ablaze by the soldiers. On 14 May 2000, the ANC committed another mass killing in the village of Katogota, between Bukavu and Uvira, where they arrived in trucks and systematically executed villagers. Some were shot, while others were burned alive in their homes. Access to the village was restricted for days as soldiers burned bodies and disposed of them in the Ruzizi River. Reports estimate the death toll exceeded 300 or 400. On 12 September 2000, ANC forces based in Mutarule attacked a bus between Rubanga and Sange, killing 16 civilians. They also executed at least three people in the village of Katekama near Sange.

Joseph Kabila's rise to power and the shift in the conflict

Following the assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila on 16 January 2001, his son Joseph Kabila assumed power, marking the beginning of a new phase in the conflict. The warring parties initiated steps to withdraw their forces and prepare for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue (ICD). From March 2001, military observers from the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) were deployed along the front lines to consolidate the ceasefire. However, hostilities persisted in North and South Kivu between Mayi-Mayi militias, FDD, and ALiR against the RCD-Goma's armed wing, the ANC, and RPA forces. In an attempt to secure a political foothold in South Kivu and isolate the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the RCD-Goma organized an inter-Kivu dialogue in September 2001, offering separate peace agreements to local Mayi-Mayi factions. However, most Mayi-Mayi groups, encouraged by the Kinshasa government, refused to negotiate, with only the Mudundu 40 group agreeing to terms. The dialogue was also boycotted by numerous civil society organizations.

By early 2002, violence persisted, with ANC and RPA forces carrying out massacres in South Kivu. Between 17 and 20 people, including a baby and two minors, were killed in the village of Kaboke II in the Tanganyika area of Fizi Territory. Some were shot upon returning to the village, others were killed while hiding in the bush, and several were burned alive when their homes were set ablaze. Around the same period, a rebellion emerged within the Banyamulenge community in Minembwe, led by former ANC commander Patrick Masunzu. His ''Forces Républicaines et Fédéralistes'' (FRF) allied with Mayi-Mayi groups operating in Mwenga, Uvira, and Fizi Territories and launched attacks against ANC and RPA positions with support from the Congolese government. Despite tensions, the Inter-Congolese Dialogue commenced on 25 February 2002 in Sun City, South Africa. On 19 April, Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba, announced a framework power-sharing agreement, which gained widespread support except from the RCD-Goma and several unarmed opposition parties, including the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS). On 30 July 2002, the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed a peace accord in Pretoria, outlining the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the DRC in exchange for the dismantling of the ex-FAR/Interahamwe and other Hutu armed groups within the FDLR. A similar agreement was signed with Uganda in Luanda on 6 September, leading to the withdrawal of Ugandan forces and efforts to stabilize the Ituri district. By September 2002, troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, and Uganda began withdrawing from Congolese territory.

As Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) retreated, Mayi-Mayi militias and the FDLR reoccupied villages, expanding their territorial control in South Kivu. In response, ANC and RDF launched a series of offensives to reclaim lost ground. On 20 October 2002, following the recapture of Uvira, ANC soldiers engaged in widespread atrocities, including rapes and killings in the town and surrounding villages, particularly in Runingu, Kiliba, Sange, Ndunda, Luvungi, and Kamanyola. Under mounting international pressure, the parties involved in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue signed the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement in Pretoria on 17 December 2002. Toward the end of that year, senior figures in the RCD-Goma engaged in negotiations with a political faction of the Mudundu 40 Mayi-Mayi movement, led by Odilon Kurhenga Muzimu and Patient Mwendanga. The negotiations aimed to facilitate the withdrawal of RDF from Walungu Territory in exchange for the political cooperation of Mudundu 40, which would aid in dismantling its own military wing, commanded by Albert Kahasha (Foka Mike). However, when the negotiations concluded in December, the RCD-Goma appointed Patient Mwendanga as Governor of South Kivu, while the military wing of Mudundu 40, bolstered by support from Padiri Mayi-Mayi, reinforced its positions in the Burhale groupement. By March 2003, as the rapprochement between RCD-Goma and the political wing of Mudundu 40 failed to weaken its military counterpart, Mwendanga was dismissed from his post. The ANC, reinforced by RDF troops, launched an offensive against Mudundu 40 forces in Walungu Territory. Despite ongoing conflicts in North and South Kivu, as well as the deteriorating security situation in North Katanga and escalating militia warfare in Ituri, participants in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue ratified the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement in Sun City, South Africa, on 1 April 2003. This agreement included an additional memorandum outlining the integration of various armed factions into a unified national army. Transition institutions were formally established on 30 June 2003.

Between 5–13 April 2003, ANC and RDF forces launched heavy assaults on Mudundu 40 headquarters in Mushinga, targeting the villages of Mwegerera, Lukumbo, Karhundu, and Izirangabo within the Burhale ''groupement''. The attacks resulted in the deaths of several civilians, the rape of at least 27 women, and the disappearance of six people. The forces systematically looted the villages before their departure, and numerous civilians and soldiers were buried in mass graves in Izirangabo, Butunza, and Kibirira near Walungu. In retaliation for the alleged support of Mudundu 40 by the local population, ANC forces deliberately destroyed educational institutions and healthcare facilities in the southern sector of Walungu. However, despite the formal end of the conflict, the region continued to face significant challenges in achieving lasting peace and stability. Armed groups persisted in the eastern hills and high plateaus, perpetuating violence and instability. In June 2014, around 35 people were killed in an attack in the South Kivu village of Mutarule. The attack was apparently part of dispute over cattle. Further escalation occurred on 4 November 2019, when inter-ethnic violence erupted in the village of Kirumba, located in the highlands of Bijombo ''groupement'' of Bavira Chiefdom. Clashes between the Gumino fighters and Mai-Mai militias resulted in house burnings, retaliatory attacks, and the killing of civilians, including a local church leader and two of his brothers. The violence triggered mass displacement among the Fuliiru, Nyindu, and Banyamulenge communities. Some victims fled into the forest, while others moved toward the village of Mibula in the Babungwe-Nord ''groupement'', within the Tanganyika sector of Fizi Territory. On the same day, Mai-Mai fighters launched a retaliatory attack against the Banyamulenge-occupied portion of Kirumba. Homes were burned, and community members fled to the MONUSCO base in Bijombo, where a temporary displacement site was established. As of that date, 103 households with a combined population of 524 were living at the site. Tragically, an elderly woman among the displaced died of malnutrition. In response to the escalating protection crisis, MONUSCO expanded its deployment of peacekeeping forces in November 2019. Static Combat Detachments (''Détachement Statique des Combats'', SCD) were established in strategic and volatile areas. New outposts were opened in Bijombo and Kamombo (Tanganyika, Fizi Territory), supplementing the main MONUSCO base already in operation at Minembwe. These deployments aimed to strengthen civilian protection and enhance security in the conflict-affected highlands of Uvira, Fizi, and Mwenga Territories.

Economy

Agriculture

Uvira Territory is primarily driven by agriculture, which serves as the foundation of employment, income generation, food security, and trade. Subsistence farming dominates agricultural activities, particularly in the ''groupements'' of Kijaga, Kalungwe, Kitundu, Kabindula, Katala, Kagando, and Muhungu, where extensive fields support local livelihoods. Territory's economy is also bolstered by its livestock farming, including cattle, pigs, goats, and poultry. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and development partners collaborate to provide technical assistance, training programs, and financial support to farmers.

Aquaculture

Fishing is predominantly practiced on an artisanal scale in Lake Tanganyika. Local fish species include tilapia, catfish, Tanganyika sardine (locally called ndakala or sambaza), ''protopterus'' (njombo), ''Astatotilapia burtoni'' (Kijoli), ''clarias'' (kambale), Tanganyika killifish, sleek lates (mikeke), Lake Tanganyika sprat, and Nile perch.

Trade and commerce

The territory is characterized by its dynamic import, export, and cross-border commerce, coupled with the sale of agricultural and fishing products that significantly contribute to the territory's revenue. Imports include wheat flour, sugar, rice, iodized salt, vegetable oil, tomatoes, and vehicle parts. The territory is further supported by artisanal soap manufacturing units, bakeries, guesthouses, hotels, and transportation services. The key commercial hubs are in Kiliba and Sange, with additional ones located in Uvira city. Leading firms include Kotecha Company, famous for its Supermatch brand; Maison SHEN/MED, specializing in sports equipment; Ets Maki, dealing in household goods; and Datco House. Other businesses include Maison KASH/ND/Kazuba for tools, KAJ/NGA MUSAF/R/ Depot, and Maison Mbuguje, an oil supplier. The transportation sector is robust, featuring 22 maritime agencies and 15 land-based operators, while 44 hotels and guesthouses cater to the needs of both local and international visitors. As of 2014, the territory registered 1,145 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) alongside 27 large-scale corporations operating in the territory.

Languages

The predominant languages are Swahili, Kifuliiru, Kivira, and Kijoba. Kifuliiru is predominantly spoken from Kiliba to the Ruvimvi River, while Kijoba is spoken from Kalyamabenga to Sanza, historically serving as the boundary between Vira and Bembe communities. Kivira, a hybrid language resulting from the convergence of Kifuliiru and Kijoba, is spoken from Kalyamabenga to Kiliba. Additionally, other languages such as Mashi, Kibembe, and Kinyarwanda are present in the territory, albeit in a secondary capacity. Notably, Swahili acts as the unifying language, transcending these diverse groups and serving as the most widely spoken language in the region.

Education

University institutions

* Université Notre Dame de Tanganyika (UNDT)
* Uvira Community University (UCU)

Higher institutions

* Institut Supérieur de Commerce (ISC-Uvira)
* Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales d'Uvira (ISTM-Uvira)
* Institut Supérieur Pédagogique d'Uvira (ISP-Uvira);
* Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural d'Uvira (ISDR-Uvira)

Secondary and primary schools

The most secondary schools

* Institut Mwanga D'uvira
* Complex School Nuru
* Institut Zawadi Ya Rais
* Lycée Umoja d'Uvira
* Institut Kitundu
* Institute Kalundu
* Institute D'uvira
* ITAV Kasenga
* Institut Mgr Guido Maria Conforti
* Institut Du Lac
* Institute Notre Dame Aux Larmes

The most famous primary schools

* Primary School Les Anges Du Ciel (Ep les Anges);
* École Primaire Action Kusaidia (Ep Action Kusaidia);
* École primaire de Nuru (Ep Nuru);
* École primaire de Munanira (Ep Munanira);
* École primaire Kasenga (Ep Kasenga).

The best-known secondary schools in rural communes

* Institut Langala ( Kiliba)
* Institut Kyamate ( Sange)
* Institut Ndunda (Ndunda)
* Institut Usalama ( Sange)
* Institut Taraja ( Kiliba)
* Institut Vijana ( Luberizi)
* Institut Adelia ( Sange)
* Institut Ufunuo ( Sange)
* Institut Ushindi ( Kiliba)
* Institut Itara (Luvungi)
* Institut Mulangaliro (Luvungi)
* Institut Umoja/Katogota (Luvungi)
* Institut Neema (Luvungi)

Health facilities

* Lemera Hospital
* Hôpital Général de Référence d'Uvira
* Hôpital Général de Reference de Kasenga
* Centre Medicale Sos Village Uvira
* Centre de Santé Mentale d'Uvira (CSMU)
* Saint Luc
* Rutasoka Clinic
* CSDT Kavimvira
* Centre de santé de référence Saint Charles borromee
* Fondation Mukende

References

{{Sud-Kivu

Territories of South Kivu Province