The Banyamulenge Are Congolese and They Deserve to Be Treated That Way

By any definition, the Banyamulenge are Congolese. They were born in the hills of South Kivu. Like many other tribes in the region, their ancestors settled in Congo well before independence, during the colonial period in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When the Belgian colonizers controlled what was then the Belgian Congo, the Banyamulenge were part of the Tutsi-speaking communities who had already made their home in the region.

The Origins of the Banyamulenge in Mulenge

The Banyamulenge were the first to settle in the hills of Mulenge. Long before there were borders or politics, they found this land, fought through the wilderness, and made it home. They faced wild animals like lions and other dangers just to survive and protect their families. They did not come for power or politics.

They came to raise their cattle, build their lives, and live in peace. For generations, they had no interest in political struggles. Africa was once one land, without the borders that divide it today. It was only when colonial powers arrived and drew artificial boundaries that many of these problems began. When politics arrived, others began calling the Banyamulenge foreigners.

Not because they did not belong, but because their land was valuable. The truth is, the name Mulenge exists because of them. It is their name, their place, their story. There are many accounts of how they defended their land and their people with courage. Not to take from others, but to protect what was already theirs. They did not ask for much. Only to be left to live with dignity on the land they had already made home.

The Belgian colonization of Congo, which began in the late 19th century under King Leopold II, affected many ethnic groups. But the Banyamulenge, having arrived earlier, were already well-established by the time colonial authority took over.

They raised cattle, built villages, contributed to the local economy, and even served in the national army. Yet today, they are still treated as outsiders in the country they have always called home.

In his book Ethnonationalism and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Naupess K. Kibiswa argues that the root of Congo’s eastern conflict lies in what he calls the ethnonationalist ambitions of the Banyamulenge. He describes them as a hegemonic and state-seeking group loyal only to themselves. But this portrayal dangerously misrepresents reality. It takes the focus away from what is truly happening on the ground. The real issue is the failure of the Congolese state to recognize and protect the Banyamulenge as rightful citizens.

The Banyamulenge have been in Congo for over a century. Most settled in South Kivu between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While their roots are tied to the Tutsi peoples of Rwanda and Burundi, their identity and life stories are deeply woven into the Congolese nation. Sadly, that has not always been acknowledged.

Instead of being accepted as part of the Congolese people, the Banyamulenge are often branded as foreigners. They are labeled with slurs and scapegoated for political reasons. Even after generations of living in the high plateaus of South Kivu, they continue to face legal and social exclusion. During the 1980s and 1990s, they were stripped of recognition. They were banned from voting, denied land rights, and accused of being foreign agents.

This kind of institutional discrimination has led to tragic and deadly outcomes.

The Banyamulenge have not pursued separation or rebellion. When they have taken up arms, it has been to defend themselves and their families. Their villages have been burned. Their cattle, which are their main source of income, have been looted. Thousands have been displaced. Armed groups like the Mai-Mai and other militias have attacked them with brutal force. While these attacks continue, government forces often remain silent. In some cases, they even take part.

One of the most shocking examples of this violence is the murder of Major Joseph Kaminzobe, a respected Banyamulenge officer in the Congolese national army. In December 2021, he was traveling with a sick family member in a military ambulance through the village of Lweba in Fizi territory. He was pulled from the vehicle, beaten, and burned alive in public. He died in uniform, during daylight, while people watched.

According to reports from Genocide Watch and other human rights organizations, this was not a random act. It was part of a larger campaign targeting Banyamulenge soldiers, and may have involved members of the army itself.

This was not just an act of hate. It was a symbol. It showed that even when Banyamulenge serve the state with loyalty and honor, their lives are still seen as disposable.

Dr. Kibiswa focuses on abstract theories and political arguments. He talks about nationalism and power, but he overlooks the lived reality of persecution, fear, and exclusion. His conclusions suggest that the Banyamulenge want control or separation. In truth, most have never asked for independence. They have asked for something far more basic. Recognition. Safety. A place in the country they have always loved.

To call their struggle an ethnonationalist movement is to ignore the daily suffering they experience. It is to overlook the graves of their leaders, the charred remains of their homes, and the cattle markets that once supported their families but have vanished. These are not signs of conquest. These are the marks of people simply trying to survive.

The danger in calling the Banyamulenge disloyal is that it makes violence against them seem acceptable. It fuels hate. It excuses silence. It tells the world that these people do not belong, even though their birthplaces, their ancestors, and their history all say otherwise.

What is happening in South Kivu is not a rebellion. It is a human rights crisis built on exclusion, scapegoating, and neglect. The Banyamulenge are not enemies of the state. They are among the most vulnerable citizens of Congo and some of the most betrayed.

Major Kaminzobe died serving a flag that did not protect him. He is not the only one. Many Banyamulenge have stood for Congo and been left alone to suffer.

Peace in Congo will not come by silencing or demonizing minorities. It will not come from academic arguments that ignore real pain. It will come when every Congolese citizen is treated with equality and dignity. That begins with telling the truth. That begins with protecting the Banyamulenge. That begins with ending the silence.

The Banyamulenge are not strangers. They are not rebels. They are not foreigners.

They are Congolese. And they deserve to live like it.