Kwilu Province

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Kwilu Province
Province
Location of Kwilu Province
Coordinates: 5°2′S 18°49′E / 5.033°S 18.817°E / -5.033; 18.817Coordinates: 5°2′S 18°49′E / 5.033°S 18.817°E / -5.033; 18.817
Country  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Capital Kikwit
Government
 • Governor Kinyoka Kaba Lumuna Godel[1]
Area
 • Total 78,219 km2 (30,201 sq mi)
Population (2005 est.)
 • Total 5,174,718
 • Density 66/km2 (170/sq mi)
Official language French
National language Kikongo

Kwilu Province is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2] Its capital is Kikwit. It takes its name from the Kwilu River, which crosses the province from south to north.

Administrative areas[edit]

Towns and territories are:

History[edit]

Kwilu was administered as a province from 1962 to 1966, however in 1964 the administration was taken over by the central government due to a rebellion in southwestern Congo. A rebel administration under Pierre Mulele ran most of Kwilu province from January 1964.[3] The province was reconquered by the legal government in June 1965. The provincial government was restored on January 18, 1966, but the province was merged with Kwango District and Mai-Ndombe District to create Bandundu Province.

President

  • 8 Sep 1962 - 18 Jan 1964 Norbert Leta
  • Jan 1964 - Nov 1964 Pierre Mulele (b. 1929 - d. 1968)
    • (commander-in-chief and Head of the General Direction)

Governor

  • 18 Jan 1966 - 25 Apr 1966 Henri-Désiré Takizala

Between 1966 and 2015, Kwilu was administered as a district as part of Bandundu Province.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "RDC: liste de nouveaux gouverneurs de province élus". Radio Okapi. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016. 
  2. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2016). "Democratic Republic of the Congo". The World Factbook. Langley, Virginia: Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 10 May 2016. 
  3. ^ Stephen L. Weigert, Angola: A Modern Military History 1961-2002, 16-22.