Kayanza lay in northwestern Burundi.
The capital of the Kingdom of Burundi was located in Gitega, the geographical center of the kingdom, deep within the Central Plateau of Burundi.
In peacetime, as the nation's center, Gitega could naturally strengthen the Kingdom of Burundi's influence over its surrounding regions.
But when the Eastern Bantu tribes surged in from the south like a tidal wave, undefended Gitega became perilously vulnerable.
If it had only been a small-scale assault, the Kingdom of Burundi might have handled it. But the Eastern Bantu tribes consisted of several million natives from across the East African colony, driven into the narrow northwestern region.
Even if all of them had stood still and allowed themselves to be raked by machine-gun fire, it would have taken half a day, let alone for the Kingdom of Burundi, whose iron tools were still relatively primitive.
Thus, after being struck by the Eastern Bantu tribes and failing in its attempts to resist, the Central Government of Burundi fled northwest.
Kayanza, roughly sixty kilometers from Gitega, had somewhat more complex terrain and was easier to defend, so it became the Kingdom of Burundi's temporary capital.
However, before the Kingdom of Burundi could return to its old capital after joining other kingdoms to wipe out the Eastern Bantu tribes' forces, it encountered the Germans, who came with menacing force.
To resist the Eastern Bantu tribes, the Kingdom of Burundi had built extensive fortifications here, while a large population had also been temporarily relocated to the area.
This was one reason why southern Burundi was so sparsely populated. Without a sufficient accumulation of people, it could not withstand the surging human tide of the Eastern Bantu tribes, so many nobles chose to huddle together with the Central Government for warmth.
In any case, the land