The traditional chieftain, referred to as the "Mwami," is highly respected and plays a crucial role in maintaining law and order while conserving the cultural patrimony of the Bahunde.

[1][2] The region also accommodates Nande, Nyanga, and Twa (Pygmies or Bambuti) from adjacent territories, alongside a minor proportion of Hutus and Tutsis, who were resettled in the mid-20th century by Belgian colonial authorities.

The Bwito Chiefdom is also rich in natural resources, including an abundance of flora and fauna in its lush forests that cover a significant portion of the area and provide habitats for various wildlife species.

While some were optimistic about the prospect of autonomy and a unique governance structure that catered to their specific needs, others were concerned about the potential impact on inter-community relations, resource distribution, and access to essential services.

The conflict escalated as Ingilima fighters, a seasoned group from the region between Walikale and Bafwasende, entered Rutshuru Territory, specifically targeting the Bwito Chiefdom under the aegis of indigenous Hunde leadership.

[1][16] On May 12, 1993, during the tenure of Desire Kamoli Bukavu Shekerabeti, the Ingilima perpetrated a cataclysmic assault on Bwito Chiefdom, massacring numerous Hutus but sparing the Tutsis, who had previously extended considerations to them.

[1][17] Survivors from Masisi Territory sought refuge in the Bwito Chiefdom, establishing settlements in border localities such as Bindja, Katsiru, Chahemba, Bishusha, and Mubirubiru.

Despite proclamations from Bwito Chiefdom authorities that the conflict was primarily a concern of Walikale and Masisi territories, the Ingilima and their confederates launched a major offensive on May 12, 1993, culminating in extensive massacres of Hutus across numerous villages.

Conducted by DSP soldiers and para-commandos from the 31st Division of Camp CETA, who had a prior history of looting in Kinshasa in 1991 and 1993, these troops exploited the chaos to further engage in pillaging and violence.

This intermingling set the stage for a brutal crackdown by AFDL and RPA forces to eliminate perceived threats and solidify their control over Zaire's natural resources within the region.

[19] The violence escalated in November and December 1996, with AFDL/RPA forces perpetrating massacres across villages of Bambu groupement, notably in Musanza, Marangara, Kanyangili, Kagando and Kishishe.

[1][14] In the villages of Bwito, terror reigned for an extended period as the RDC and RPA forces subjected the locals to looting, burning of houses, and raping women and girls.

[1][20][22] In December 2006, Nkunda established his armed movement, the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP), settling in Bwiza, a locality straddling the Rutshuru and Masisi territories.

[1][23] Nkunda's return from the war in Bukavu, where he fought alongside Colonel Jules Mutebutsi, another Tutsi who rebelled against the FARDC (Forces armées de la république démocratique du Congo) in 2004.

The crisis forced many people to flee their homes, leading to the establishment of displaced camps in various locations, including Katsiru, Kasoko, Kihondo, Bambo, Singa, Nyanzale, Luve, Mutwangano, and nearby areas.

[25] During the Kishishe massacre, which occurred from November 29 to December 1, 2022, the March 23 Movement attacked the chiefdom, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in Bambo, Tongo, and Bishusha groupements.

[26][27] According to human rights organizations and local sources, the massacre began in the Tongo groupement, where the insurgents executed more than 64 people in the villages of Muhindo, Rusekera, and Bugina.

The armed rebels then moved into the Bambo groupement, carrying out a second wave of attacks, targeting the villages of Kishishe, Kirumba, and Kapopi, where innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire.

[33] Since October 2023, over 400 educational institutions in Rutshuru Territory have remained closed due to almost constant insecurity, affecting villages in Bukombo, Bishusha, Tongo, and Bambo groupements.

[37] On March 4, 2024, Radio Okapi reported the resurgence of violent clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese army, along with local militias, in Bwito Chiefdom, particularly around Nyanzale and along the Mabenga axis.

[38] This assault incited widespread panic and triggered a mass exodus, with hundreds of families fleeing Nyanzale and neighboring villages such as Bwalanda, Kashalira, and Kirima in the Mutanda groupement, heading northward towards Kanyabayonga via Kibirizi.

[39] This takeover precipitated another wave of displacement, with thousands, predominantly women and children (including expectant mothers), trekking through Virunga National Park to reach Kanyabayonga.

Earlier on April 1, Wazalendo made an advance on the ground, recapturing the hills of Bwambaliro, Vunano, and Mianzi-Kimoka following the fighting against the M23 on the Sake-Kirotshe and Sake-Kitshanga axes.

[51] On April 3, local sources reported that the M23 rebels reoccupied the hills of Bwambaliro, Vunano, and Mianzi-Kimoka overlooking Sake on Tuesday evening after being dislodged briefly in the morning by Wazalendo.

[52] The following day, between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. local time, M23 launched four bombs towards Sake, which landed in various locations, including a military camp in Kasengezi near Mugunga, and two near FARDC and SAMIDRC bases in Mubambiro, resulting in the death of a young girl and injuries to four other civilians.

[55] The following day, Kalume implored the government to restore peace in rebel-occupied areas to enable displaced persons to return to their original environments, noting that children were resorting to begging and young girls to prostitution for survival.

[69] However, fighting persisted between FARDC and M23, supported by the Rwandan government, in the Kabasha, Kinyamuyaza, and Buchi bwa Nyama hills, 10 km southeast of Kanyabayonga, opening the way to Butembo and Beni.

[69] Later that June, FARDC Northern Front command, covering the area from Kanyabayonga to Goma, instructed all local armed groups called Wazalendo, active in the Beni-Butembo and Lubero, to identify themselves to the nearest army units.

Radio Okapi reported that a coalition of three local armed groups briefly regained control of Mirangi, Lusuli, and Kyahala after a clash with M23, although the rebels returned the next day with reinforcements.

[78] Some civil society representatives expressed concern about the protracted nature of the fighting along this axis, prompting massive population displacement towards the south of Lubero and towards Ikobo in the Walikale Territory.