Mwenga Territory

Mwenga Territory is a territory in the province of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Established on 15 August 1949 during the Belgian colonial period, it was formed through the partition of Shabunda Territory (Wamuzimu Chiefdom), subdivisions of Kabare Territory (including the chiefdoms of Luhwindja, Burhinyi, and Lwindi), and a portion of Fizi Territory (Itombwe sector). The territory covers an area of 11,172 square kilometers and had an estimated population of 843,636 in 2019. It is bounded to the north by Walungu Territory, following the course of the Ulindi River and its confluence with Kadubo within Luhwindja Chiefdom. To the south, it shares boundaries with Fizi Territory along the limits of the Itombwe sector. On the eastern side, Mwenga Territory meets Uvira Territory near the highlands of Lake Lungwe and the upper Elila River, while to the west it borders Shabunda Territory.

The territory's economy is primarily based on subsistence agriculture, small livestock rearing, and artisanal gold mining. Administratively, Mwenga Territory is subdivided into five chiefdoms and one sector. Its population is ethnically diverse, including Lega, Nyindu, Bembe, Fuliiru, Vira, Shi, and Banyamulenge. Languages commonly spoken are Kilega, Shi, Swahili, Kinyindu, and Kibembe, while the major religions practiced include Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and Kimbanguism.