Burundi: Fall of the Monarchy (1962 - 1966)

Updated April 2005

In 1962 Urundi was formally separated from Ruanda-Urundi, become Burundi and was given independence as a monarchy. A new Constitution was adopted which gave the king absolute executive power, while legislative power was shared by him with Parliament (Bayefsky.com 1992).

The king, Mwambutsa IV, presided over an ever fractious country and his own divide-and-rule strategy exacerbated matters further, engendering fear amongst the Tutsis and a sense of disappointed expectations amongst the Hutus. The result was a growing spiral of communal violence and a growing alienation of all the protagonists from the monarchy itself (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

Uprona, without the leadership of the charismatic Prince Rwagasore, split into ethnic based factions. These divisions reflected the deep seated ethnic suspicions and fears that polarized Burundian society at large. Trade unions, student organization and other organs of civic society were similarly riven (Kimber 1996).

In the meanwhile the Tutsis deepened their control over organs of state by monopolizing key posts in the civil service and the military. Revolts by Hutu soldiers in 1965 provided the opportunity and motive for the purging of the army of Hutus (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

Ethnic massacres, political assassinations, revolts and coup attempts and usurpations of power followed one after another until a royally appointed prime minister, Michel Micombero, abolished the monarchy and declared himself president.

References

BAYEFSKY.COM 1992 "Core reports: Burundi", [www] http://www.bayefsky.com/core/hri_core_1_add_16_1992.php [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007).

INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES 2005 "Burundi: Political System and history", [www] http://www.iss.co.za/AF/profiles/Burundi/Politics.html [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007).

KIMBER, C 1996 "Coming to terms with barbarism in Rwanda and Burundi" IN International Socialism 73, December, [www] http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj73/kimber.htm [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007)