SUMMARY

The Lengola are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group residing primarily in the forested regions of Tshopo Province in the northeastern part of the DR Congo (Zaire).The community comprised about 225 000 people.

The Lengola inhabited areas on both sides of the Lualaba River, particularly around Lubunga and Kisangani in the Ubundu territory of the Tshopo province and Lubutu and Punia territories of Maniema. Their society was organized into clans and lineages, each maintaining its own leadership and traditions. The Lengola speak Kilengola, a Bantu language.

The Lengola were primarily agriculturalists, cultivating crops such as bananas and engaging in hunting. Their economy was largely subsistence-based.

Gilbert Sabuni represented the Lengola community during a peace forum in Kisangain in December 2024.