The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
20th century
1924 - Bukavu becomes part of the newly formed administrative Province Orientale in colonial Belgian Congo.(fr) 1925 - Seat of Kivu District relocated to Bukavu from Rutshuru. 1927 - Bukavu renamed "Costermansville" after Belgian colonial official Paul Costermans. 1929 - Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Kivu established. 1927 - Zoological and Forest Reserve of Mount Kahuzi established near Costermansville. 1938 - founded by Catholic Pères Blancs. 1942 - Catholic, Swahili-French language Hodi newspaper begins publication. 1951 Catholic Our Lady of Peace Cathedral built. Bushi Football Club founded. 1953 Costermansville renamed "Bukavu." La Presse Africaine newspaper begins publication. 1958 - Bukavu attains city status. 1961 Denis Maganga Igomokelo becomes mayor. (school) established. 1967 - 9 August: City taken by rebel Katangan forces. 1970 - Kahuzi-Biéga National Park established near city. 1975 - Population: 146,504 (estimate). 1984 - Population: 167,950 (estimate). 1989 - City becomes part of the newly formed South Kivu province. 1993 - begins broadcasting. 1994 Rwandan war refugees flee to Bukavu. Population: 201,569 (estimate). 1996 - October: City taken by Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo. 1999 - Panzi Hospital established. 2000 - Congolese war refugees arrive in Bagira.
21st century 2004 - May–June: Violent conflict between rebel and national forces. 2007 - 13 June: Journalist killed. 2008 3 February: 2008 Lake Kivu earthquake. 22 November: Mass graves found on land owned by Rally for Congolese Democracy party member. Zita Kavungirwa Kayange becomes mayor. OC Bukavu Dawa wins Coupe du Congo football contest. 2010 17 October: Women demonstrate "to demand an end to a wave of mass rapes." becomes governor of South Kivu province. 2012 - 12 February: Airplane carrying politicians crashes in Bukavu; killed. 2014 February: Political rally; crackdown. 5 June: Prison break occurs. 2015 January: 2015 Congolese protests. August: 2015 South Kivu earthquake. Population: 295,665 (estimate). Saveur du Kivu coffee event begins. Lusenda refugee camp begins operating in vicinity of Bukavu. 2017 28 July: Prison break occurs. August: Cholera outbreak. 2022 2022 Bukavu floods. 2025 February: 2025 Bukavu offensive.
See also Bukavu history List of mayors of Bukavu Timelines of other cities in DR Congo: Goma, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Lubumbashi
References
Bibliography
External links
(Bibliography) (Bibliography) (Bibliography) (Bibliography) (Bibliography) Items related to Bukavu, various dates (via Europeana) Items related to Bukavu, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)
Images