| Kikwit | |
| Official Name: | Ville de Kikwit |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | DR Congo |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kwilu Province |
| Parts Type: | Communes |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | Kazamba |
| P2: | Lukemi |
| P3: | Lukolela |
| P4: | Nzinda |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Abe Ngiama[1] |
| Established Title: | City status |
| Established Date: | 1970 |
| Area Urban Km2: | 92 |
| Population As Of: | 2017 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 186991 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 458000 |
| Population Density Urban Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | West Africa Time |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Coordinates: | -5.0386°N 18.8181°W |
| Elevation M: | 452 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Aw |
| Blank1 Name: | National language |
| Blank1 Info: | Kikongo ya leta |
Kikwit is the largest city of Kwilu Province, lying on the Kwilu River in the southwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kikwit is also known in the region under the nickname "The Mother". The population is approximately 458,000 (2017). An important commercial centre, it is home to a stadium and is known for its traditional dances, in particular the Bapende dancers whose geographic origin centers on the village of Gungu. Bapende dancers often wear traditional costumes comprising colorful masks and attire made from raffia.
In 1995 the city saw a serious outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.[3]
Singer King Kester Emeneya was born in Kikwit in 1956. In April 2014, a tribute concert held in Kikwit to honor King Kester Emeneya ended in disaster, and at least thirteen people in the stadium died in a stampede following a power failure.[4]
Kikwit is home to Kikwit Airport, operating domestic flights to Kinshasa. Kikwit is also connected to Kinshasa by road and river transport.
The Pende people are also from Idiofa and Tshikapa (Kasai). The Pende dancers are known as Mungandji (1) or Mingandji (many).