Kiringye

Kiringye is a village situated in the Lemera groupement within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, which is part of Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The village is located at an elevation of 928 meters and is in close proximity to the localities of Luburule and Karenzu.

Agriculture is the main economic activity in the region. It provides local communities with self-sufficiency. Its fertile soil and favorable climate make it an ideal region for agricultural activities. Farmers grow various crops, including staple foods such as maize, beans, cassava, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rice, as well as cash crops like coffee, tea and cocoa. Livestock farming, including cattle, sheep, and poultry.

History
The area was predominantly inhabited by Fuliiru and Vira agriculturists, as well as some Mbuti Pygmies. It constituted an integral part of the Bafuliru Chiefdom (Chefferie de Bafuliru), which exerted its authority over diverse regions within the Uvira Territory.

During the 1980s, the village gained recognition for its flourishing agricultural sector, which exerted a significant influence on the regional economy. Renowned for its fertile terrain and propitious climate, the village emerged as a prominent agricultural nucleus, attracting interest through its successful farming practices and abundant harvests.

In the early stages of the First Congo War, Kiringye served as a stronghold for the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo-Zaïre; AFDL). This alliance received support from soldiers from Rwanda and Burundi, who covertly infiltrated the region to provide support to the Banyamulenge militia against the entrenched rule of Mobutu's government. Notably, on August 31, 1997, Oscar Lugendo, the government spokesperson, reported that Zairean troops had killed three Rwandan soldiers and apprehended five others within the confines of Kiringye. Subsequently, during the Second Congo War, a massacre transpired on August 6, 1998, resulting in 13 deaths, including the chief of Kiringye. The violence further escalated into the neighboring village of Lwiburule in South Kivu.