Fizi Territory

Fizi Wilaya ya Fizi Alembe lembe
Territory
Fizi Territory, South Kivu
Show territory Show province Fizi territory within South Kivu
Fizi Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates: 4°18′4″S28°56′39″E / 4.30111°S 28.94417°E / -4.30111; 28.94417
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Province	Sud-Kivu
Government
• Territory Administrator	M. Aimé kawaya
Area
• Total	41,745 km2 (16,118 sq mi)
Population
• Total	1,000,674
Time zone	UTC+2 (CAT)
National language	Swahili
Climate	Aw

Fizi is a territory in the south of Sud-Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering the South Kivu territories of Uvira, Mwenga and Shabunda to the north, Lake Tanganyika or Tanzania in the east, and the provinces Tanganyika in the south and Maniema in the west. ^[1]

The predominant language in the territory is Bembe language (Ibembe) and Kiswahili.

Geography

The Fizi territory is located in the south of the South Kivu province, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, borderline with Tanzania's Kigoma Region.

Administrative division

Collectivities within the Fizi territory include

• N'Gangya
• Lùlenge
• M'tambala
• Tangani'a
• Itombwe

Towns

MONUSCO peacekeepers and a FARDC Navy sailor in a village of the Fizi Territory

The capital city (chef-lieu) of the Fizi territory is called Fizi Centre, but Baraka (bala'a) is considered the main town of the territory because of its semi-urbanized advancements. Baraka is composed of three municipalities (Baraka, Katanga and Kalundja). In 1892, it became the first entity in the urban model in the province of South Kivu. ^[2]

Some villages of Fizi are: Makobola, Kahama, Aseeci, Kwa Munene, Ilakala, Swema, Ake I, Ake II, Abeka, Mukwezi, Musenya, Atongo, Abûmbe, Ilela, Mgûle, Abondoki, 'wa Mboko, Lûûkyû, Mkangyaolo, 'wa Núndú, Bashiwaenge, Bashimweci, 'Yonwe, Zimbwe, Lusambo, Atûngulû, Atondo, Losenda, Lulinda, Elemyonga, Mkolwe, Bûkû, Bitobolo, Lûbûmba, Atete, Lweba, Andale, Ekwena, Abela, Alûnja, Lo'oe, Matongo, Mwemezi, Bomani (Baraka centre), Ebonjwa, Mwansombo, Mwambango, Mongemonge, Mwatembo, Akyûngwe, Akomba, Atanga. Upon reaching Atanga, there is a junction, at which turning left leads to Fizi and the open side of the Lake Tanganyika shore. Malinde is a junction village. Towns after turning left include Malinde, Mlongwe, Atalûkûlû, Isee, Sebele. There is another junction in Sebele village. The right road leads to Eonde and then Kazimia village. The left road heads to Nemba, Msombozi, Kisokwe, Manga, Rasi, Mizimu, Kalongwe, Dine, Ibwe la nyookye, Kahongo, Equateur, Bandundu, Bas Zaire, Lubomo, Lwambama, Mwayenga, Kalila, Bwenge, Lubilo, Hona, Mwajalûlû, Bûma, Alamba, Kilumû, Kazimia.

Bibokoboko - Locals meet MONUSCO troops from Pakistan in 2022

There is no road access between Nemba to Kazimia; people use boats for transportation because most villages are built on shore and between mountains. Kazimia, Abumbwe, Nguma, Ekyoci, Lûandaki, Atuma, Ebamba, Ehingeci, Asaba, Msamba, Yungu, Esanu, Sele, Akone, Mkongwe, Mande, Talama and the river Alela is the border of Fizi and Shaba or Sud-Kivu province and Shaba Province. If you jump the mountains of Fizi, you will find several villages there: Maganja, Bibokoboko, Minembwe, Kanguli, Wangulube, Mkera. The main mining cities of Fizi are Misèsè and Mkera.

History

The region has a long history of independence from Kinshasa. It was the location of the maquis set up by Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 1967, ^[3] as well as the place where Laurent-Désiré Kabila raised his son, the former president Joseph Kabila, in 1973. Throughout much of the Second Congo War, the town was contested by numerous armed groups. ^[4] Provincial MP representative are: Alimasi Malumbe. Abungulu Mateso. Shenila Mwanza. Malick Job Bumbu.

National Member of parliament representing Fizi in Kinshasa are: Msambya Abwe Freddy. Ambatobe Nyongolo Ammy. Nehemie Wilondja Mwilanya.

The landscape of Fizi near Sebele (Foreground) with lake Tanganyika and the Ubwari peninsula seen in the background

Politics

The Fizi territory is represented in the National Assembly by three deputies:

• Amy Ambatobe Nyomholo P.P.R.DCongo)|
• Msambya Abwe Fredy
• Nehemy Wilondja Mwilanya

Notes and references

1. Kitungano, Jean-Luc Malango (2002). "L'administration publique locale face à la sécurité des personnes et de leurs biens dans la province du Sud Kivu" [Local public administration and the security of people and their property in the province of South Kivu] (in French). Kisangani, Tshopo, Democratic Republic of the Congo: University of Kisangani . Retrieved 26 March 2025.
2. Radio Okapi, accessed September 2009
3. "Anatomy & History of the Zaire-Congo Crises" Archived 2007-10-10 at the Wayback Machine by Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, usafricaonline.com, 19 November 1996
4. "Background Brief on the Current Situation in Kivu" Archived 2007-08-06 at the Wayback Machine , IRIN , 10 September 1997 (hosted by africaaction.org); "Thousands of civilians victims of atrocities in the DRC" Archived 2006-08-31 at the Wayback Machine , Amnesty International , 23 November 1998; and "DR Congo: Complex Emergency Situation Report #4 (FY 2004)" Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine , United States Agency for International Development, 20 August 2004 (hosted by reliefweb.int)

External links

• Territoire de Fizi-Itombwe ou le pays de Babembe, fizi-itombwe.com (in French)
• Rapport de l'Atelier de Réflexion sur les Resources Locales et la Dynamique du Développement Rural dans le Territoire de Fizi - Itombwe, report of seminar held 19–21 February 2006 (in French)

4°18′4″S28°56′39″E / 4.30111°S 28.94417°E / -4.30111; 28.94417