Michel Micombero

**Michel Micombero** (26 August 1940 – 16 July 1983) be military man plus politician from Burundi wey rule di kontri like military dictator for ten years, from 1966 go 1976. He be di last Prime Minister for di Kingdom of Burundi from July to November 1966, den turn di first President of di republic from November 1966 till dem overthrow am for 1976.

Micombero na Tutsi man wey start im career as soldier for Burundi army around di time wey di kontri gain independence for 1962. Dem send am go study abroad, and when e return, dem give am minister work. E come become popular sake of how e help crush one coup attempt wey Hutu soldiers try do against di Tutsi-led monarchy for October 1965. After dat, for 1966, Micombero organize two coups again against di monarchy wey e see say dem too soft. Di first one for July put new king for power, and na so Micombero take become prime minister. Di second one for November come end monarchy completely, and na so Micombero turn di first president of di new Republic of Burundi.

Under am, Burundi turn one-party state wey gather all power for central government and no join any side for di Cold War. Anybody wey no gree or try challenge am, dem silence am. For 1972, one uprising wey try challenge im power turn to genocide against Hutu people — about 100,000 Hutus die. Micombero government finally scatter for 1976 when another soldier, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, overthrow am and take over as president. Micombero run go exile for Somalia, and na there e die for 1983.

## Biography

### Early life, 1940–1962
Na dem born Micombero Rutovu insyd Bururi Province, wey dey Ruanda-Urundi under Belgian colonial rule, on 26 August 1940. Im parents na poor farmers from di Hima ethnic group, wey be part of de bigger Tutsi group. He go Catholic mission schools for Burundi, and for 1960, e join di military wey dem dey build in preparation for Burundi independence for 1962. As part of im training, dem send am go Royal Military Academy for Brussels, Belgium, for April 1960 to learn how to be officer. By March 1962, dem promote am to second lieutenant. So, when Burundi gain independence as Kingdom for July 1962, Micombero don already reach captain rank. By November dat same year, dem make am assistant commander-in-chief of di Burundian National Army (*Armée Nationale Burundaise*).

### Independence and seizure of power, 1962–1966
For early days after Burundi independence, di monarchy under King Mwambutsa IV—wey mostly Tutsi—try balance Tutsi interest plus di majority Hutu population. For 1963, Micombero join di ruling party, Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progrès national, UPRONA). Even though na Tutsi mainly dey run di party, dem still try attract Hutu members join. By June dat year, dem appoint Micombero as State Secretary for Defense (Minister of National Defence), meaning say he become oga of di military at just 23 years old. For September, im beg di National Assembly make dem join di civilian National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) together with di army, to stop any tension wey fit dey between di two security forces. But di plan no ever come to pass.

For October 1965, some ethnic Hutu soldiers—mostly from di National Gendarmerie—try overthrow di Burundian monarchy, but di coup fail. King Mwambutsa IV run go exile, and na Micombero lead di crackdown against di coup plotters. On 9 November 1965, Micombero marry Adèle Nzeyimana, wey be Ganwa woman and daughter of one subchief. By July 1966, another coup carry King Ntare V (di son of Mwambutsa IV) enter power. On 8 July, Ntare sack Prime Minister Léopold Biha and suspend di constitution. Di next day, he tell Micombero make e form new government. Micombero present di new cabinet on 12 July, wey make am both Prime Minister and Defence Minister. But tension soon start between di soldiers for government and di monarchy. By September, dem shuffle di cabinet because of di wahala. Then on 7 November, Ntare try use radio station announce say him don sack Micombero and im government—but di soldiers no gree make am enter di station. Three weeks later, on 28 November—wey Ntare travel go Democratic Republic of Congo for state visit—Micombero, wey don become colonel by then, lead another coup. He overthrow Ntare, cancel di monarchy, and declare Burundi as one republic with himself as de first President.

### Dictatorship, 1966–1976
Sanso see: Ikiza

As president, Micombero talk say Burundi be one-party state wey UPRONA be di only legal party. E cancel di parliament come replace am wit somtin wey dem call "National Revolutionary Council". Di ideology wey e push – "democratic centralism" – mean say all di country demma institutions plus media dey under di power of di military regime wey e dey lead. Micombero mix socialist ideas from Tanzania wit di kind of system Joseph-Désiré Mobutu dey run for Congo (wey dem later call Zaire from 1971 go 1997). E regime push Hutus go corner – example be how e take comot dem from di national army by bring height plus body size rules wey mostly Tutsi fit pass.

After e get injury for road accident for 1967, Micombero begin dey paranoid pass before. People believe say e dey drink too much – dem dey see am often for "drunken stupor". Even though dem stop some plans to remove am (like for 1969 and 1971), di country no ever really calm. E support base come dey narrow – mostly Tutsi people from di north and center of Burundi still dey loyal to am. But even dem get wahala – na Tutsis from Muramvya lead di 1971 plot against am. As Cold War dey go on, Micombero sabi play smart – e dey collect help from both Communist countries and Western ones. For 1969, e accuse Belgium say dem help Hutu people plan small rebellion, so Belgium stop to give military support. But France quickly enter di space wey Belgium comot from.

For April 1972, wahala burst for southern Burundi when some Hutu people rebel for Rumonge, with support from Tanzania side. Di rebellion spread quick-quick, and inside di early violence, about 1,000 Tutsi people die. But di way Micombero government take respond na full-blown massacre: dem launch one genocidal attack against Hutu people wey kill at least 100,000. Dem even kill former king Ntare, wey dem accuse say e dey lead di rebellion. Dem no just kill anyhow, dem focus especially on educated Hutu people, like teachers, civil servants, and students. Even some Tutsi from di Banyaruguru group wey no support Micombero too chop bullet. When Micombero realize say di killings don pass level, e come order make dem stop di massacre. By 1973, violence still dey shake di region, and na Mobutu from Zaire wey step in to stop Tanzania from invading Burundi. After all di palava calm down, Micombero come introduce new constitution wey allow am run for another seven years. That same year, e join Rwanda den Zaire to start de Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries.

For November 1976, Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bagaza plus some other opposition soldiers carry successful coup wey remove Micombero from power. Dem arrest Micombero sharp-sharp, and Bagaza declare Second Republic under im own military dictatorship. Even though Bagaza na Tutsi and e follow for di 1972 killings, e later try make peace with di Hutu majority. E do some reforms and begin modernise de Burundian state small-small. But e own time too no last forever—na coup dem take remove am again for 1987.

### Exile den death, 1977–1983
Dem exile Micombero from Burundi for 1977, and e go live for Somalia, wey at that time Siad Barre, a close paddy and fellow dictator, dey rule. As e settle for Somalia, e go Somali National University and bag degree for economics by 1982. But e life no last long, Micombero die of heart attack for Madina Hospital, Mogadishu, for 1983.

Researcher Nigel Watt talk say Micombero be “first, and worst, of the three Tutsi military presidents” for Burundi. Na because of di 1972 killings wey he start, hatred den violence wey go disturb di country for many years dey trace go back to am.

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