Lemera was the capital of the Bafuliiru chiefdom, whose people, a Bantu-speaking ethnic group, migrated to Uvira from the Lwindi district in the Mwenga Territory of South Kivu during the 17th century. Lemera owes its name to Mulemera, father of Kahamba, and founder of the Bufuliiru dynasty in Lemera. The capital was large and powerful, with a population comparable to that of Ghent at the time — approximately 20,000 during its heyday. At the beginning, Bafuliiru chiefdom was very sparsely populated and any newcomer individual or group could settle there provided they recognized the authority of the mwami of the Bahamba clan. The latter's power was more symbolic than real. Moreover, it was felt only in localities close to the Court. The distant groupement leaders pledged allegiance to him, but did not feel so controlled by him.
