# Timeline of Bukavu

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

## 20th century

Part of a series on the :
History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo :
| Early history | pre–1876 |
| Kingdom of Kongo | 1390–1914 |
| Kingdom of Luba | 1585–1889 |
| Kingdom of Lunda | 1600–1887 |
| Kuba Kingdom | 1625–1884 |
| Kingdom of Chokwe | 1800–1891 |
| Yeke Kingdom | 1856–1891 |
| Colonization | 1876–1960 |
| Intl. African Association | 1876–1879 |
| Intl. Congo Society | 1879–1885 |
| Congo Free State (Atrocities) | 1885–1908 |
| Belgian Congo | 1908–1960 |
| World War II | 1940–1945 |
| Independence | post–1960 |
| Congo Crisis | 1960–1965 |
| Congo–Léopoldville | 1960–1971 |
| Zaire (Shaba I / II) | 1971–1997 |
| First Congo War | 1996–1997 |
| Second Congo War | 1998–2003 |
| Joseph Kabila presidency | 2001–2019 |
| Félix Tshisekedi presidency | 2019–present |
See also: Years :
DRC Portal :
vte :
* 1924 - Bukavu becomes part of the newly formed administrative Province Orientale in colonial Belgian Congo.
* 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 - Collège Notre Dame de la Victoire [fr] 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.
** École de régence [fr] (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 - Radio Maendeleo [fr] 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 Serge Maheshe [fr] 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."
** Marcellin Cishambo [fr] becomes governor of South Kivu province.
* 2012 - 12 February: Airplane carrying politicians crashes in Bukavu; Augustin Katumba Mwanke [de] 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