It was formed from part of Stanleyville District in 1914.

Between 30 June 1900 and 27 July 1901 Jules Alexandre Milz undertook a special mission to delimit the Belgian-German border in Kivu.

[3] The Kivu District became part of the Orientale Province created in 1913.

[3] With the 1933 reorganization Kivu and Maniema were contained in the new Costermansville Province.

The western part of Kivu had been restored to Maniema, but an area in the northwest had been added, taken from Stanleyville District.