[13] Historically, Kamanyola was home to the Bashi people, a significant populace of Bantu heterogeneous ethnic group residing in the territories of Walungu, Kabare, Mwenga, Kalehe, and Uvira.

[14][15] The region was a border town and historic lieu where the Armée Nationale Congolaise (ANC) landed a key victory against the Mulelist insurgency in 1964.

[16][17][18] In 1972, the region experienced a large-scale migration from Burundi during the Great Calamity, a campaign of mass killings perpetrated against the Hutu population by the Tutsi-dominated military and government under Michel Micombero's regime.

[19] Notably, not all refugees were Hutu; an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 were of Zairean lineage, primarily from Hemba people, who historically occupied areas on both sides of Lake Tanganyika.

[19] In response, Zairean authorities implemented an extensive development program known as "Kusaidia", which extended from Kamanyola and reached as far as Kalemie, spanning approximately 250 kilometers along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

[19] During the Rwandan Genocide, which displaced millions of Hutu civilians and provoked retaliatory carnage, Kamanyola housed many surviving Hutu refugees as well as ex-FAR/Interahamwe elements and Burundian CNDD-FDD rebels who fled to Walungu Territory in the eastern part of Zaire, fleeing RPA (Rwandan Patriotic Army)[20][21] The High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated the number of refugees at 307,499 people, divided between 26 camps: Kamanyola, Izirangabo, Karabangira, Nyangezi, Nyantende, Muku and Mushweshwe south of Bukavu, Bideka, Chimanga (Burhale), Bulonge (a camp not recognized by UNHCR), Nyamirangwe and Chabarhabe to the west of the city, Panzi, Nyakavogo, Mudaka/Murhala, INERA [National Institute for Agricultural Studies and Research], ADI-Kivu [Action pour le Integrated Development in Kivu], Kashusha, Katana, Kalehe, Kabira, north of Bukavu and Chondo, Chayo, Bugarula, Maugwere and Karama on the island of Idjwi.

[30][31] According to Justin Bitakwira, former government Minister and member of the National Assembly, these were not Burundian refugees or asylum seekers, but a group armed with weapons of war who fought with a Congolese army patrol.

[13][36] While amateur clubs for karate, boxing, and basketball also exist, the overall development of sports in Kamanyola is hampered by a lack of financial sponsorship, despite the presence of considerable local talent.

[13] Cassava also serves as a staple product in Kamanyola; however, its market influence diminished between 2004 and 2010 due to the prevalence of mosaic virus, locally referred to as Butuku.

[13] Nevertheless, targeted humanitarian interventions led by non-governmental organizations have revitalized cassava production, restoring its market share to approximately 45%, with exports extending to Rwanda, Burundi, and the wider Ruzizi Plain.

Other significant agricultural outputs from the region include peas from Uvira, sweet potatoes from Sange, and crops such as sorghum, sunflower, and yam from the Ruzizi Plain.

[13] While peanuts and avocados are not prioritized by the local population due to their perceived economic insignificance, they remain part of the diet following imports from the Ruzizi Plain and Rwanda.

[13] Family-based livestock breeding is widespread in Kamanyola, although it is hampered by challenges such as suboptimal feeding regimes and a paucity of veterinary services, exacerbated by the absence of structured support mechanisms.

[13][38][40] These goats are rarely sold to slaughterhouses, as breeders tend to retain them for further breeding purposes, though some are traded in markets across Rwanda, Burundi, and the Ruzizi Plain.

[13] Kamanyola is served by both state-run and private health institutions, which have seen improvements in medical services and sanitation due to the financial and material contributions of various humanitarian NGOs.

[13] Key healthcare facilities in the area include:[13] Additionally, Red Cross health posts, dispensaries, and pharmacies are dispersed throughout Kamanyola's different localities.