Banyamulenge's History, Culture and Language

As Mobutu’s regime was collapsing, his soldiers turned on the Banyamulenge, killing many of them under the folse accusation that they were behind a plot to start a civil war in the country. Many politicians from the Babembe and Bafuliru ethnic groups supported this campaign and openly incited other citizens to harass Banyamulenge people wherever they were found. The Second Congo War further fueled the ethnic hatred that had been simmering for decades. In August 1998 the regio

Like other African communities, the Banyamulenge, before receiving the Good News of Jesus Christ, followed traditional religious beliefs. They practiced ancestor worship, made ritual offerings, and consulted diviners. This way of life lasted for many centuries until the Good News reached the region where they lived in the year 1919. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was brought b y missionaries f rom European countries, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Norway. When the Gosp

The Banyamulenge fought many wars at different times and won them all. However, in the year 1964, a more severe war broke out than all the previous ones. This war became known assimba rebellion but Banyamulenge named it "Mulele's War." It began as a rebellion led by former members of the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), who still supported the policies of Patrice Lumumba, who had been assassinated. These rebels formed a military group called the Conseil National de Libérat