Lulenge
Lulenge constitutes one of the four sectors within the Fizi Territory of South Kivu Province, situated in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It spans an area of approximately 5,530 square kilometers, making it the second-largest sector in the territory after Ngandja. As of 2014, Lulenge had a population of 187,806, with its administrative center based in Kilembwe. The sector shares borders with several neighboring administrative units: Ngandja to the east, Wakabongo Chiefdom in Shabunda Territory to the west, Itombwe sector of Mwenga Territory to the north, Babuyu and Babangubangu Salamabila sectors of Kabambare Territory to the south and southwest, Mutambala and Tanganyika sectors to the northeast, and Wamuzimu Chiefdom of Mwenga Territory to the northwest.
Administratively, Lulenge is divided into five groupements: Basimimbi, Basimunyaka-Sud, Basikasingo, Basombo, and Obekulu. The sector is linguistically diverse, with Kibembe spoken by the majority of residents. Other languages spoken include Kibuyu, Kinyarwanda, as well as Kifuliiru and Kinyindu. Lulenge's economy is primarily based on agriculture and mining, with fishing from Lake Tanganyika also playing an important role. Agricultural cooperatives, such as the Coopérative Business Centre Olive, are active in the area, cultivating crops including cassava, peanuts, beans, mushrooms, and rice. Small-scale enterprises are also well-developed in the area.
Since the First Congo War, Lulenge has been embroiled in persistent conflicts. The emergence of the Ngumino and Twirwaneho militias in November 2021 has exacerbated ethnic tension between Babembe and Banyamulenge populations. Verbal and physical attacks against the Babembe, Bafuliiru, and Banyamulenge have proliferated in Lulenge.
Geography
Terrain and climate
Lulenge is predominantly mountainous, shaped in large part by the presence of the Mitumba mountain range. Altitudes in the northeastern part of the sector range between 1,500 and 2,000 meters, giving the area a rugged topography. In contrast, the southeastern part is characterized by a relatively flat plain that stretches along the Lwama River. The soils across the sector vary by location: they are typically clay-sandy and highly fertile, supporting diverse agricultural activities. In the plains, the soil is predominantly sandy; alluvial deposits are common along the riverbanks, while the mountain slopes and plateaus feature mostly clayey soils.Lulenge is traversed by numerous rivers and streams, most of which feed into the Congo River via the Lwama River, which also serves as a natural boundary between Lulenge and the Babuyu sector in Kabambare Territory. Significant rivers in the area include the Ama, Alumya, Malonge, Lukwa, Mukolochi, Namutambala, Makembe, Ahemya, and Kobokobo, which marks the boundary between South Kivu and Maniema provinces. The Bibizi and Lumembe Rivers delineate the border with Shabunda Territory, while the Bitongo River flows northward through the Bitongo Forest and empties into the Elila River. In addition, there are many small streams throughout the area.
Vegetation is dominated by grassy savannas and gallery forests along rivers, while the north hosts the expansive Bitongo Forest, an extension of the larger Itombwe Forest. This forested area provides important habitat for a variety of animal species and plays a significant ecological role. On the high plateaus, steppelike vegetation prevails, offering suitable pasture for livestock, which forms a key component of the local economy.
Climatically, Lulenge experiences considerable regional variation due to its geographical diversity. The mountainous regions enjoy a cool, temperate highland climate, while the plains tend to be hot and dry. The area as a whole follows a bimodal seasonal pattern, with a long rainy season extending from September to May and a short dry season from June to mid-September. These conditions support multiple agricultural cycles. Farming practices are adapted to seasonal patterns, with specific types of cultivation such as Akekye, Ebilo, Pombo, Ekongo, and Eunde playing vital roles in the local agricultural economy.
Governance and administrative divisions
The Lulenge sector is led by an elected official known traditionally as the Mwami, formally referred to as the Chef de secteur, who is invested with authority by the provincial government. The sector's governance system is composed of two principal bodies: the Sector Council, which serves as the deliberative organ, and the Sector Executive College, which acts as the executive branch.- The Sector Council is composed of sector councilors elected by universal, direct, and secret ballot in accordance with national electoral law. This council is responsible for deliberating on matters of local interest, and it elects both the Sector Head and the Deputy Sector Head, who are subsequently invested by the Provincial Governor. If this investiture does not occur within fifteen days of their election, it becomes automatic by law. The council is led by a bureau consisting of a President, vice-president, and Rapporteur, elected according to the council's internal regulations, with consideration for gender representation where applicable.
- The Sector Executive College, the body charged with implementing the council's decisions and managing day-to-day affairs, consists of the Sector Head, the Deputy Sector Head, and two Aldermen appointed by the Sector Head, subject to approval by the council. These appointments are guided by criteria such as competence, credibility, and community representativeness. The Deputy Sector Head assists in administrative duties and assumes leadership in the absence of the Sector Head. The Aldermen support executive functions as assigned through formal decrees.
- The Sector Head serves as the chief administrative and regulatory authority in Lulenge, tasked with ensuring the enforcement of laws and regulations at the national, provincial, and sectoral levels. This role includes maintaining civil status records, acting as a judicial police officer with general jurisdiction, authorizing sector budgets, overseeing tax collection, and representing the sector in legal matters and engagements with external parties. The Sector Head also holds responsibility for public order, with authority to coordinate with national police forces deployed in the area.
''Groupements'' and ''localités''
The Lulenge sector is made up of five groupements:Demographics
As of the 2014 census conducted by the civil status office of the Lulenge sector, the population was estimated at 187,806 inhabitants, resulting in a population density of approximately 36 inhabitants per square kilometer.Population distribution by groupement:
| No. | Groupements | Total population |
| 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. | Basimunyaka-Sud Basombo Basikasingo Basimimbi Obekulu | 37,107 48,133 20,858 52,193 29,515 |
| Total | 187,806 |
Source: Lulenge sector, 2014 annual census conducted by the Civil Status Office.
Kibembe is the predominant language spoken by the vast majority of the population. Kibuyu is spoken by a smaller segment of the population, limited to a portion of the Basikasingo groupement. Kinyarwanda is used by the Banyamulenge community, primarily settled near Mount Mulenge and the Minembwe high plateaus. Additionally, in the Basimunyaka-Sud groupement, languages such as Kifuliiru and Kinyindu are also spoken. Swahili and Lingala, the national languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are spoken by a minority and serve as lingua francas for broader communication.
Settlement patterns in Lulenge are largely organized around kinship networks and geographical convenience, with villages typically located along main roads and near water sources. These villages are spaced at intervals ranging from 1 to 15 kilometers. Social organization in the sector is influenced by administrative structures and traditional customs, particularly those of the Bembe and Buyu peoples, who play a central role in local governance and cultural practices.
The built environment in the sector reflects the impact of historical conflict. The sector endured significant destruction during periods of inter-ethnic violence, during which many homes were looted, burned, or otherwise destroyed. In recent years, however, efforts at pacification have led to a resurgence in reconstruction. Most new homes are built from locally made dobe and are predominantly roofed with straw. A smaller number of houses are roofed with corrugated metal sheets.
History
In 1937, Fizi Territory was subdivided into five sectors: Itombwe, Lulenge, Mutambala, Ngandja, and Tanganyika. Itombwe Sector was later incorporated into Mwenga Territory on 31 December 1947. Lulenge was a historic chieftaincy inhabited by the Babuyu and Babembe communities. They resided in an environment characterized by cultural heterogeneity. To the north and east, there were patrilineal agro-pastoralist-oriented communities, while the west was inhabited by the related patrilineal Lega communities, known for their agriculture, hunting, and food-gathering practices. To the south were matrilineal hunters and agriculturalists, descendants of the northern Luba cluster. The Buyu were the first to settle in the region, while the Bembe established themselves later, migrating from the mountains to occupy the remaining land due to Babuyu's sparse population. During the 20th century, under the Belgian Congo administration, Babembe and Babuyu were administratively divided into five sectors: Itombwe, Lulenge, Mutambala, Ngandja, and Tanganyika. Belgian colonial economic policies facilitated the migration of significant numbers of Banyarwanda cattle-herders into ostensibly "vacant" grassy regions from Rwanda via Uvira Territory. However, the Bembe largely refrained from exogamy and maintained a truculent and adversarial disposition toward Banyarwanda.Despite successive waves of Arab-Swahili incursions, colonial domination, and the Mulelist rebellion, Fizi Territory witnessed, between 1937 and 1959, the arrival of numerous Rwandan refugees escaping unrest in their homeland. The question of Rwandan refugee transhumance emerged on 21 September 1953, during a meeting at the Kakwela and Nakabunga mountains between Van Caester, Acting Administrator of Fizi Territory, and Jean Schwall, Assistant Administrator of Mwenga Territory. The Babembe of Fizi Territory and Itombwe were in attendance, alongside Arille Guerlement. These Rwandan refugees, later identifying themselves as "Banyamulenge", were initially regarded as foreigners in Itombwe. Their population was estimated at roughly 200 families, owning between 400 and 600 head of cattle. They were prohibited from residing or practicing transhumance within Mwenga Territory. Chief Matayabo of Lulenge consequently agreed to offer them asylum within his jurisdiction. In return, the Banyarwanda paid itolo, typically in the form of cattle, to local customary chiefs. This arrangement remained in place until the 1980s. By 1986, however, these refugees ceased identifying as Banyarwanda and adopted the ethnonym Banyamulenge, meaning "the people of Mulenge".