{{shortShort description|polityPolity in the Congo Basin, c. 1400 – 1900}}

|year_start = c. 1400

|image_map = Kasai watershed.png

|image_map_caption = A map of the [[Kasai River]] watershed. Mwene Muji controlled the territory around the Lower Kasai, stretching from [[Lake Mai-Ndombe]] and [[Mushie]] to [[Idiofa]] and the [[Wamba River]].

|capital = [[Mushie]]

|title_leader = Mwene Muji/Nimi a Maye

|leader1 = Maluma Biene

|leader2 = Muba

|year_leader1 = c. 1400

|year_leader2 = c. 1900

|year_end = c. 1900

|s1 = Boma Kingdom

|s2 = Yaka Kingdom

|s3 = Jaga (Kongo)

'''Mwene Muji'''{{Efn|Also called '''Monmuge''', '''Moenemugi''', and '''Nimiamye'''.}} was a polity around [[Lake Mai-Ndombe]] in the [[Congo Basin]]. Its 'empire' status is pending on further archaeological research.<ref name="Thornton 2024">{{Cite journal |last=Thornton |first=John |date=2024 |title=Mwene Muji: A Medieval Empire in Central Africa? |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-african-history/article/mwene-muji-a-medieval-empire-in-central-africa/2F2D9F46069847DC655F171B75636D27 |journal=The Journal of African History |language=en |volume=65 |issue=1 |pages=30–46 |doi=10.1017/S0021853724000161 |issn=0021-8537}}</ref> It was of the [[Nunu people]] and the [[Ntote people|Ntote]].<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{Rp|page=39}} The first written record of Mwene Muji came in 1591 by Italian [[Renaissance humanism|humanist]] [[Filippo Pigafetta]].<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|page=30}} It entered a severe decline in the 19th century and was surpassed by the [[Boma Kingdom]], until Belgian conquest.

Mwene Muji was formed just after 1400 (going by genealogical records), and it likely expanded along the [[Lukenie River|Lukenie]], [[Kasai River|Kasai]], [[Kamtsha River|Kamtsha]], [[Kwilu River|Kwilu]], and [[Wamba River|Wamba]] rivers, without venturing much into the interior. It likely had a powerful riverine navy,{{efn|Their navy included ''kekupi'' which were canoes with 30 paddlers}} and dominated trade.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=42-44}} At their height, they may have included parts of the territory of the [[Kuba Kingdom|Kuba]] and [[Pende Kingdompeople|Pende]] kingdoms. The [[Boma Kingdom]] and [[Yaka people#History|Yaka Kingdom]] broke free in the early 17th century.<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{rp|page=46}} Boma took over Mwene Muji's north, while the Yaka took over some southern domains, weakening Mwene Muji.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thornton |first=John K. |date=2022-09-19 |title=New Light on the “Jaga” Episode in the History of Kongo (1567-1608) |url=https://shs.cairn.info/revue-cahiers-d-etudes-africaines-2022-3-page-441?lang=fr |journal=Cahiers d'études africaines |language=en |volume=247 |issue=3 |pages=441–459 |doi=10.4000/etudesafricaines.38894 |issn=0008-0055}}</ref> The [[Jaga (Kongo)|Jaga]] who invaded the [[Kingdom of Kongo]] in the 16th century are thought to have originated from a province of Mwene Muji.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=32-33}}

When the [[steamboat|steamers]] of the [[Congo Free State]] came into use, Mwene Muji lost their naval supremacy and thus their dominance over trade. Deadly epidemics swept the region in the 1890s, dispersing the population. The Boma Kingdom became the main power in the region.<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{Rp|page=36}} The region was conquered by the Belgians in the early 20th century. By the time the Belgians began collecting traditions, the capital [[Mushie]] appeared to be a small fishing village and the grand claims from its ruler Muba of them once having imperial status were swept aside.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=46}}