Léopold Biha

Prince Léopold Bihumugani or Biha (March 15, 1919 – October 13, 2003) was a Burundian politician. He was appointed Prime Minister 13 October 1965 following the 10 May 1965 legislative election. He was the personal secretary of Mwami Mwambutsa IV previous to his appointment as Prime Minister. He was Prime Minister until a coup on 8 July 1966 when Prince Charles Ndizeye overthrew his father and became Mwami. Mwami Ntare V installed Michel Micombero to the post of Prime Minister.

Léopold Biha
Prime Minister of Burundi
In office
13 September 1965 – 8 July 1966
MonarchMwambutsa IV
Preceded byJoseph Bamina
Succeeded byMichel Micombero
Personal details
Born1919
Political partyUPRONA

Early life

Léopold Bihumugani was born in 1919 to Burundian Chief Bagorikunda.[1] Ethnically, he was a Ganwa of the Bezi lineage.[2]

Political career

Biha was a close confidant of the court of Mwami Mwambutsa IV.[2] On 13 September 1965 the Mwami appointed him Prime Minister of Burundi.[3]

Late in the night on 18 October, Hutu gendarmes and soldiers led by Secretary of State for the Gendarmerie Antoine Serukwavu mounted a coup attempt against the Burundian government. While one contingent of putschists attacked the royal palace, a separate group of gendarmes drove to Biha's residence and beckoned him to step outside. Unsuspecting of their motives, Biha obliged and the putschists fired at him point-blank,[4] striking his shoulder, abdomen, and leg.[5] Though seriously wounded, he escaped. Loyalist troops eventually suppressed the coup. As a result of the coup, the Mwami fled to Europe[4] while Biha went to Belgium for several weeks to be treated for his injuries.[6] The remnants of his government set about repressing the perpetrators of the coup and suspected collaborators.[7] Mwambutsa soon thereafter suspended the powers of the Biha government[8] before restoring them on 20 November.[9] However, with the Mwami outside of the country and the prime minister incapable of discharging his duties, de facto governance fell to the army and the civil service.[10]

Biha returned to Burundi in February 1966.[11] On 15 March his government was reformed and Biha assumed the portfolio for Civil Service, Sûreté and Immigration.[12] On 24 March Mwambutsa issued a decree giving Crown Prince Charles Ndizeye "special powers to co-ordinate and control the activities of the government and the secretariats of state".[9]

Later life

In 2001 Biha co-founded the Parliamentary Monarchist Party (Parti Monarchiste Parlementaire, PMP).[13]

References
  1. Weinstein 1976, p. 86.
  2. Lemarchand 1970, p. 414.
  3. Lemarchand 1970, p. 415.
  4. Lemarchand 1970, p. 416.
  5. "Burundi Shoots 34 For Role in Revolt". The New York Times. Reuters. 23 October 1965. pp. 1, 8.
  6. Lemarchand 1966, p. 425.
  7. Lemarchand 1970, p. 418.
  8. Weinstein 1976, p. 15.
  9. Lemarchand 1970, p. 421.
  10. Lemarchand 1970, pp. 419–421.
  11. Lelyveld, Joseph (10 March 1966). "Burundi Premier Faces Watusi Extremist Threat". The New York Times. p. 13.
  12. Weinstein 1976, p. 87.
  13. "Burundi: Monarchist party reportedly to be formed". BBC Monitoring Africa – Political. 4 August 2001.ProQuest 450361987

Works cited
  • Lemarchand, René (December 1966). "Social Change and Political Modernisation in Burundi". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 4 (4): 401–433. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00013719. JSTOR 159097.
  • Lemarchand, René (1970). Rwanda and Burundi. New York: Praeger Publishers. OCLC 254366212.
  • Weinstein, Warren (1976). Historical Dictionary of Burundi. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810809628.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.