Kwilu Province

Kwilu Province du Kwilu (French) Kizunga Kikwit (Kikongo)
Province
Province du Kwilu
The Congolian forest–savanna mosaic
Seal
Coordinates: 5°2′S18°49′E / 5.033°S 18.817°E / -5.033; 18.817
Country	DR Congo
Established	2015 (2015)
Named after	Kwilu River
Capital	Bandundu
Largest city	Kikwit
Government
• Governor	Philippe Akamituna [1]
Area
• Total	78,219 km2 (30,201 sq mi)
Population  (2024)
• Total	6,898,105
• Density	88/km2 (230/sq mi)
Ethnic groups
• Native	BaYanzi, BaSuku, Dzing, Kwese, BaSonde, AMbuun, BaPende, BaLunda
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
License Plate Code	CGO / 12
Official language	French
National language	Kikongo ya leta
Website	https://kwiluprovince.com/

Kwilu is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwilu, Kwango, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. ^[2] Kwilu was formed from the Kwilu district and the independently administered cities of Bandundu and Kikwit. Bandundu is the provincial capital. ^[3] The 2024 population was estimated to be 6,898,105. ^[4]

The province takes its name from the Kwilu River, which crosses it from the southeast to the northwest.

Administrative areas

Towns and territories are:

• Bagata
• Bulungu
• Gungu
• Idiofa
• Mangai
• Masi-Manimba

History

Kwilu was administered as a province from 1962 to 1966. However, in 1964 the administration was taken over by the central government due to a rebellion in southwestern Congo. A rebel administration under Pierre Mulele ran most of Kwilu province from January 1964. ^[5] The province was reconquered by the legal government in June 1965. The provincial government was restored on January 18, 1966, but the province was merged with Kwango District and Mai-Ndombe District to create Bandundu Province.

President

• 8 Sep 1962 – 18 Jan 1964 Norbert Leta
• Jan 1964 – Nov 1964 Pierre Mulele (b. 1929 – d. 1968)
  • (commander-in-chief and Head of the General Direction)

Governor

• 18 Jan 1966 – 25 Apr 1966 Henri-Désiré Takizala

Between 1966 and 2015, Kwilu was administered as a district as part of Bandundu Province.

References

1. "Philippe Akamituna prend officiellement ses fonctions de gouverneur du Kwilu". Radio Okapi (in French). 16 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
2. "RDC: démembrement effectif du Bandundu". Radio Okapi (in French). 19 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
3. "Loi organique nº 15/006 du 25 mars 2015 portant fixation des limites des provinces et celles de la ville de Kinshasa" (PDF). Journal officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo (in French). 56 (Special ed.). Article 15, col. 39. 28 Mar 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
4. "Congo (Dem. Rep.): Provinces, Major Cities & Towns – Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
5. Stephen L. Weigert, Angola: A Modern Military History 1961–2002, 16–22.