Léopold Biha

prime minister of Burundi

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July 17, 2026

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Léopold Biha served as prime minister of Burundi. He was appointed to this position by King Mwambutsa, bypassing the results of the 1965 elections which had given a majority to the Hutu party. Biha, a Tutsi and the king's private secretary, was appointed prime minister, consolidating Tutsi control over the government. This appointment occurred amidst significant ethnic tensions and political instability in Burundi following its independence in 1962. The period was marked by violence and discord, particularly between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups.12

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Burundi
The First and Second republics
…results and appointed a Tutsi—Léopold Biha, his private secretary—prime minister. Mwambutsa insisted that power would continue to rest with the crown, even when he chose to leave the country after an unsuccessful coup led by a group of Hutu officers in October; he decreed that his son, Prince Charles…
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…results and appointed a Tutsi—Léopold Biha, his private secretary—prime minister. Mwambutsa insisted that power would continue to rest with the crown, even when he chose to leave the country after an unsuccessful coup led by a group of Hutu officers in October; he decreed that his son, Prince Charles…
Read More