Sankuru District | |
|---|---|
District | |
 Sankuru district within Kasai-Oriental province (2014) | |
| Coordinates: 3°31′00″S23°36′00″E / 3.516667°S 23.6°E | |
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Province | Kasaï-Oriental |
| District | Sankuru |
Sankuru District (French : District du Sankuru, Dutch : District Sankuru) was a district of the Belgian Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo. It went through various changes in extent, but roughly corresponded to the modern Sankuru Province.
A 1914 map shows Sankuru roughly in the center of the Belgian Congo, bordered by Kasai District and Lac Leopold II District to the west, Équateur District and Aruwimi District to the north, Maniema District in the Orientale Province to the east, and Lomami District in Katanga to the south. [1] Sankuru District covered the upper part of the Lukenie River basin and a section of the Lubilash River, which originates further south in Lomami District. [2]
Between 1910 and 1912 Kasai District was divided into Sankuru District to the northeast and a smaller Kasai District to the southwest. As of 1926 both these districts were in the Congo-Kasaï province. [2]
The people of the west of Sankuru District were stirred up at the end of 1919 and start of 1920 by a fetishist named Ikay, who convinced the people he could render the European weapons useless and free the people from the Belgian occupation. Ikay's disciples spread the word to more remote areas. In July 1920 the movement expanded greatly towards Équateur District, mostly among the Yongo people, and then among the Tomba-Nongo, Bosongo and Booli peoples. An administrator checking rumors of the subversion was attacked 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Ekombe, with several deaths and injuries on both sides. Buildings in Boliko, Ikali and Monjuku were destroyed. The rebellion spread among the Pongo and Batua people. The people of the Lomela River basin left their villages and gathered in a desert location, refusing to obey the Belgians. [3]
Some have said the rebellion was caused by the fetishist Ikay, but another view is that the problem came from the intermediaries of the companies and the administration who organized commerce and collected taxes in each village, and threatened the authority of the local leaders. The intermediaries were sometimes oppressive, threatening the villagers with force unless they worked with copal and abandoned their traditional customs. [4] In 1928 the military showed their strength in the Lomela, Kole and Dimbelenge territories of Sankuru district. In 1931 several villages in the district revolted. The people of Sankuru-Edumba attacked the Forminiere II boat. These disturbances were connected to unrest in the neighboring Lac Leopold II District. [5]
In the reorganization of 1933, Sankuru District was expanded to include the northern part of the Lomami District, and became part of the new Lusambo Province. The southern part of Lomami was merged into the Lualaba District in the Élizabethville Province. [2] In 1932–1934 the military undertook several actions in Lusambo District. In 1936 the authorities were concerned that many talismans and magic utensils with subversive uses were appearing, particularly in the Basongo-Meno region. The military made demonstrations of their force to put a halt to the magic propaganda and force the people back to work. [5]
In 1947 Lusambo Province was renamed to Kasaï. [6] Some districts were broken up. A 1955–1957 map shows that a new Kabinda District had been created from the southeast part of Sankuru. Sankuru District now bordered Tshuapa District to the north, Stanleyville District to the northeast, Maniema District to the east, Kabinda District and Lulua District to the south and Kasai District to the west. [7] The area was now 117,600 square kilometres (45,400 sq mi) out of a total of 323,100 square kilometres (124,700 sq mi) for Kasai province as a whole. [8]
On 14 August 1962 Kasaï was divided into five new provinces: Lomami, Luluabourg, Sankuru, Sud-Kasaï and Unité Kasaïenne. Governors of Sankuru during this first period as a province were: [9]
| Start | End | Officeholder | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September 1962 | December 1963 | André Diumasumbu | President |
| 1 January 1963 | April 1963 | Athanase Ndjadi | President (in rebellion) |
| 27 December 1963 | June 1965 | Paul Marcel Sumbu | President |
| 1 June 1965 | 27 January 1966 | Benoît Wetshindjadi | Governor |
| 18 April 1966 | 25 April 1966 | Étienne Kihuyu | Governor |
On 25 April 1966 Luluabourg and Unité Kasaïenne were united to form Kasaï-Occidental, while Lomami, Sankuru, and Sud-Kasaï were united in the new province of Kasaï-Oriental. Kasaï Oriental was split in 2015 into the current, smaller Kasaï-Oriental, Lomami and Sankuru provinces. [9]
Kasaï-Occidental was one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1966 and 2015, when it was split into the Kasaï-Central and the Kasaï provinces.
Kasaï-Oriental was one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1966 and 2015, when it was split into the new, smaller Kasai-Oriental province, the Lomami and the Sankuru provinces.
This is a history of the Kasai region in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of the political divisions which have occupied it since human settlement began.
Kabinda District was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2015 it was merged with the independently administered city of Mwene-Ditu to form Lomami Province.
Lulua District was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city of Kananga was at the center of the district, but had a separate administration. In 2015 Lulua District became the province of Kasaï-Central.
Équateur District was a former district of the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1914, it became part of former Équateur Province. The district went through various changes of extent and name over the years. The original district roughly corresponds to the current provinces of Équateur and Tshuapa.
Kasai District was a district of the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, named after the Kasai River. It was formed around 1885 and went through several large changes in extent in the years that followed. The 1933 version of the district roughly corresponded to the former Kasai-Occidental province and the present Kasaï and Kasaï-Central provinces.
The indigenous people within the kasai basin up to Maniema understood themselves to be descendants of "AnKutshu Membele", then in the 20th century many accepted the imposed term Tetela . "Batetela" is now understood as an ethnic group of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most of whom speak the Tetela language.
Tshuapa District, was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in 1933 in the Coquilhatville Province. At its greatest extent it roughly corresponded to the present provinces of Équateur and Tshuapa.
Kwilu District was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It roughly corresponded to the present province of Kwilu.
Congo-Kasaï was one of the four large provinces of the Belgian Congo defined in 1914. It was formally established in 1919, and in 1933 was divided into the new provinces of Léopoldville and Lusambo.
Kasaï was a province of the Belgian Congo and the successor Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville).
Maniema District was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It roughly corresponded in area to the present Maniema province.
Léon A. Hofkens was a Belgian colonial administrator. He was governor of Lusambo / Kasaï in the Belgian Congo from 1945 to 1948.
The Districts of the Belgian Congo were the primary administrative divisions when Belgium annexed the Congo Free State in 1908, each administered by a district commissioner. In 1914 they were distributed among four large provinces, with some boundary changes. In 1933 the provinces were restructured into six, again with boundary changes. The number of districts fluctuated between 12 and 26 through splits and consolidations, first rising, then falling, then rising again.
Lac Léopold II District was a district of the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo. It went through various changes in extent, but roughly corresponded to the modern Mai-Ndombe Province.
The Districts of the Congo Free State were the primary administrative divisions of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908. There were various boundary changes in the period before the Congo Free State was annexed by Belgium to become the Belgian Congo.
Lomami District was a district of the Belgian Congo from 1912 to 1933, when it was dissolved. It covered very roughly the same area as the present Lomami Province and the northwest of Haut-Lomami Province.
Tanganika District was a district of the pre-2015 Katanga Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The district dates back to the days of the Belgian Congo. At its greatest extent it roughly corresponded to the present Tanganyika Province, with a small portion in the southwest now in Haut-Lomami Province.