He graduated from the College of Rural Development in Bukavu in 1993 and obtained a master's degree in Community Health at the Free University of the Great Lake Region, Campus of Butembo in 2005.

After this training, he became leader of the provincial office of AFDL, in charge of ideology, and at the same time the coordinating secretary of the political and military managerial staff of that organization.

In 2006, Paluku was elected member of the provincial assembly for the constituency of Butembo on the list of Forces of Renewal with 38,800 votes along with 160 candidates.

In 2012, just after the legislative and presidential elections, Lahongya created the political party called BUREC (United Block for the Renaissance and Emergence of Congo).

He was accused along with businessmen M. Musanganya, against whom Mr Prigogine had won a judgement ruled by the Supreme Court over a land dispute, of having planned the murder.

Mr Paluku specific involvement according to witnesses included providing a secure location and armed officers to execute the plot as well as working against investigators to cover up the murder.

He was accused of ignoring the practical concerns of his station office, instead focusing exclusively on the defense of national territory alongside the armed forces.

To make matters worse, while CGD/K-ML chair Mbusa Nyamwisi was the presidential candidate, Kahongya chose to campaign for the Majority.

Nyamwisi was thrown out of the National Assembly in Kinshasa for his supposed links with Rwanda to destabilize the East, along with his colleague Roger Lumbala.

Bandundu: Richard Ndambu Wolang Bas-Congo: Simon Mbatshi Batshia Équateur: José Makila Sumanda Kasai-Occidental: Trésor Kapuku Ngoy Kasai-Oriental: Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji Katanga: Moïse Katumbi Kinshasa: André Kimbuta Yango Maniema: Didier Manara Linga North Kivu: Julien Paluku Kahongya Orientale: Jean Bamanisa Saïdi South Kivu: Marcellin Cishambo Ituri Interim Administration: Emmanuel Leku Apuobo