Увира қаласы: географиялық және экономикалық шолу

City in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Uvira is the capital city of the Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated between Lake Tanganyika and the Mitumba Mountains and covers an area of approximately 16km. Geographically located between 13°15' north latitude and 28°10' east longitude, it is bordered by the Mazuza River to the north, the Ruzizi River to the south, Lake Tanganyika to the east, and the Munanira Mountain to the west. It is the economic and transportation hub of the Uvira Territory and is also home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Uvira, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bukavu.

Uvira is located approximately at 29° 27' East longitude and 3° 24 South latitude. It is situated at the northernmost tip of Lake Tanganyika. Kalundu, a lake port located at the southern end of the city, serves as a connection point for boats heading to Kalemie in Tanganyika Province, Kigoma in Tanzania, Pulungu in Zambia, and Bujumbura, the largest city and former capital of Burundi. Surrounded by hills and mountains, the city is part of the Great Rift Valley region. Lake Tanganyika, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, supports thriving fishing and transportation industries. The city is linked by road to Bukavu (the capital of South Kivu Province) and Bujumbura. The city is 120 km from Bukavu and 60 km from Fizi Territory.

Uvira is characterized by the presence of several rivers and is rich in streams. The city is dominated by Lake Tanganyika, which borders it from the northeast and southeast. From the west, Uvira is crossed by various rivers, namely the Kamberulu River, Ruzizi River, Kakungwe River, Kibinda River, Kamanyola River, Kalimabenge River, Mulongwe River, and Kanvinvira River. The presence of Lake Tanganyika significantly influences the climate and weather patterns in the region, as large bodies of water have an impact on local temperatures and precipitation. Additionally, the lake's hydrological cycle, including evaporation and rainfall, plays a crucial role in determining the overall water resources available to Uvira and its surrounding areas.

Uvira experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The city falls within the equatorial zone and maintains warm temperatures throughout the year. The average annual temperature in Uvira varies depending on the seasons and the relief. It is minimal during the dry season (20 °C to 30 °C) in the Ruzizi Plain and 15 °C to 25 °C in the High Plateau. The wet season in Uvira typically occurs from January to mid May and from mid September to December. During this time, the city receives a significant amount of rainfall, which sustains the lush vegetation and supports agricultural activities in the region. On the other hand, the dry season, from June to September, is characterized by lower rainfall and drier conditions. Temperatures during this period can be slightly cooler compared to the wet season.

Uvira has a rich history, shaped by the convergence of different ethnic groups over time. According to Alfred Moeller de Laddersous, the region's first inhabitants were Bazoba fishermen, who established their presence around the shores of Lake Tanganyika. In the 17th century, the Vira people journeyed from Lwindi (now Lwindi Chiefdom), near the Ulindi River in the mountainous hinterland, to settle near Lake Tanganyika. Following the Vira settlement, the Bahamba clan of the Fuliiru people arrived in the region, establishing themselves north of the Bavira, partly within Bavira territory. Notably, the Bahamba clan had their own paramount leader who operated independently from the Bavira paramount. Gradually, the Bahamba clan expanded their paramountcy, occupying considerable localities along the north western coastline of the Ruzizi Plain, stretching from Uvira to Luvungi. The expansion led to the establishment of the Bahamba dynasty of Bafuliiru, which governed the various parts of the region. Inter marriage between the Bavira and Bafuliiru clans occurred, further intertwining their cultures and forging social connections.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the region experienced an influx of Barundi and Banyarwanda immigrants. The Barundi immigrants were predominantly Tutsis, accompanied by a smaller number of Hutus who were harbored in Ruzizi Plain by Fuliiru agriculturalists. They were later dispersed to various localities in Uvira. Conversely, the majority of Banyarwanda immigrants were mostly Tutsi herders who were accommodated by Fuliiru chief in Mulenge and Upper Sange, incrementally establishing their presence. During the Rwandan Revolution and the Rwandan genocide, a significant number of refugees settled in various villages, districts, and ports of Uvira.

Between the 1850s and 1890s, Burundi's shoreline served as an entrepôt for the slave traffic coming from the eastern part of the Congo Free State. Arab Swahili merchants, who were majorly warlords involved in the Indian Ocean slave trade, procured slaves from the area for the purpose of trading. They mainly operated in Uvira, Katanga, Nyangwe, Kasaï, Kabinda, Kirundu, and Baraka. Father Van der Burgt noted in his Dictionary that in 1897–8, there were a few discreet slave dealers in Uzige (in the region of Usumbura), Bangwana (Islamized people from Unyamwezi or the Congo basin), Basumbwa, Bavira (from the country of Uvira), and Bayangayanga (peddlers from the southern part of Burundi, specialized in the trade of salt and iron). He added that a boy was worth two to four fundo or strings of beads, while a girl was worth twice as much (a fundo was valued at 0.30F at that time). In Uvira, Arab Swahili traders established commercial networks and often collaborated with local intermediaries to capture, enslave, and transport people. The native population also engaged in trade, exchanging slaves, ivory, iron objects, bark clothing, palm oil, bananas, grain, and cassava, which led to the development of a significant commercial center that traded products from all the interlacustrine kingdoms and chiefdoms.</blockquote>Following the Congo Arab War, the slave trade began to decline. While the war did not entirely eradicate the slave trade, it significantly contributed to its decline. The conflict disrupted the existing networks and operations of Arab Swahili slave traders, making it considerably more challenging for them to continue their slave trading activities as before. Furthermore, with the arrival of the Force Publique, the Belgian colonial forces in the region, there was an increase in scrutiny and intervention against the slave trade. Motivated by their own economic interests and responding to international pressure, the Belgian colonial authorities actively sought to suppress the slave trade and implemented various anti slavery measures advocated by abolitionists. These measures were further fueled by changing economic dynamics and the declining viability of traditional slave routes.

Throughout the 19th century, several European explorers carried out expeditions to Uvira. In 1857–1858, Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke embarked on a mission that brought them to Lake Tanganyika, while in 1871, Henry Morton Stanley joined David Livingstone at Ujiji, a town situated in the Kigoma Ujiji District of the Kigoma Region in Tanzania, where they explored the mouth of the Ruzizi River. However, it was in 1898 that Lieutenant Chargeois established a post in Uvira opposite the one the Germans had established in Bujumbura, a year earlier in 1897. He was immediately joined by Catholic missionaries, notably the Reverend Father Victor Roelens.

During Mobutu Sese Seko's era, Uvira was the capital of the former South Kivu Subregion, a constituent part of the Kivu Region at the time. In 1989, when South Kivu was elevated to the status of a province, the capital was relocated to Bukavu. At present, Uvira is a city and the current capital of the Uvira Territory. During the First and Second Congo Wars, the region served as a major battleground for various armed groups, armies and militias, including the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), Forces Armées Burundaises (FAB), Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD), Rally for Congolese Democracy Goma (RCD Goma), and various Mai Mai militias. Uvira and its surrounding areas experienced violence and loss of civilian lives during these wars. On October 18, 1996, AFDL/RPA units reportedly killed at least 88 civilians in Kiliba, located just thirteen kilometers north of Uvira. Additionally, on the same day, AFDL/RPA units were responsible for the deaths of at least 51 civilians in Bwegera, situated in the Ruzizi Plain in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom. The Red Cross conducted mass burials for the victims. The capture of Uvira on 25 October 1996 saw renewed atrocities committed by AFDL/RPA/FAB units, including indiscriminate killings that resulted in the deaths of several hundred people, including Hutu refugees and Zairian civilians. However, despite the formal end of the war, the region continues to face sporadic outbreaks of violence, often involving armed groups, militias, and inter communal tensions. These ongoing conflicts have resulted in further violence, population displacement, and human rights abuses in Uvira and its surrounding areas. In 2017, the CNPSC rebel group launched an attack on the city, which was repelled by the national army and MONUSCO forces.

The city thrives in the primary sector due to its abundant natural resources and agricultural practices. The fertile lands of the region are conducive for growing and cultivating a variety of crops, such as maize, bush beans, cowpea, cassava, cabbage, potatoes, paddy rice, carrots, soybeans, amaranth, onions, bananas, and spring onions. Along with staple crops, Uvira's agricultural industry includes cash crops like coffee, tea, cocoa, and palm oil. Agriculture is mostly practiced in the Ruzizi Plain, a flat valley formed by the Ruzizi River that flows through various regions of Uvira Territory. Most of the farmers rely on small scale family based subsistence agriculture. Various initiatives have been undertaken to support agricultural cooperatives and offer them training and resources to improve productivity and market access. Notable organizations include Nabahya Food Institute, IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture), and Regroupement des femmes entrepreneurs Umoja, which seek to enhance agricultural practices, boost yields, and establish viable income streams for farming communities. Agricultural products from Uvira are usually transported to Bukavu or exported to neighboring countries such as Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia.

Livestock farming plays a key role in boosting the local economy, ensuring food security, and supporting the livelihoods of the population. This practice encompasses the rearing of cattle, goats, and poultry, with cattle farming emerging as a predominant form of livestock production in the region. Farmers engage in raising cattle primarily for meat, milk, and hides, which serve as valuable commodities. Cows and goats offer a significant source of protein through their meat, while their milk is either consumed locally or processed into various dairy products such as butter, cheese, and yogurt. The utilization of goat skin in the production of leather goods is abundant in the region, with many locals using it for traditional drums, clothes, and carpet binding. Additionally, poultry farming offers promising income opportunities for small scale farmers. Both live birds and poultry products are sold in nearby markets. These sought after products find their way to various districts, towns, and villages within Uvira or neighboring areas, including Lemera, Sange, Luvungi, Mulenge, Bwegera, Mukungubwe, Kanogo Kihamba, Lubarika, Luberizi, and Bibangwa.

Given the region's proximity to Lake Tanganyika, which is the second deepest lake in the world and rich in aquatic resources, fish farming emerged as a significant economic activity. It is practiced by Vira and Fuliiru fishermen, as well as by the Bembe people who rear a variety of fish, including tilapia, catfish, kapenta (known to the locals as ndakala or sambaza), protopterus (commonly known as njombo in the city), Astatotilapia burtoni (known as Kijoli), clarias (known as kambale), Tanganyika killifish, sleek lates, Lake Tanganyika sprat, and Nile perch. Fish farming contributes to food security, alleviating malnutrition, and improving the nutritional status of communities, particularly those living in rural areas or in nearby cities and towns such as Sange, Luvungi, and Kiliba. It also provides income generating opportunities for local farmers and entrepreneurs who sell their fish in local markets, restaurants, and even neighboring regions.

The area is known for its rich cultural heritage and skilled Fuliiru and Vira artisans, who create a wide range of handcrafted products. These artisans specialize in woodworking, pottery, basket weaving, metalwork, and textile production. The crafted products are sold by national companies such as SNCC (Société Nationale des chemins de fer du Congo), SNEL and REGIDESO. These companies offer finely carved sculptures, furniture, and household items made from locally sourced timber, as well as bowls, jugs, tools, utensils, jewelry, fabrics, garments, and accessories.

The city benefits from its close geographical location, which enables it to engage in internal and external trade with Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, the city of Bukavu, Kalemie, and the Fizi Territory. Itinerant trade, commuting, and freight forwarding are primarily conducted by the local population. The main public markets include Kalundu, Maendeleo, Kalimabenge, Soko Congolese "Zairians", Kasenga, Kanvimvira, and Kilomoni.