[1][2] Bahekwa was born in the city of Butembo, North Kivu Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Bahekwa graduated in Applied Pedagogy (English/African culture) from the National Pedagogical Institute, Kinshasa.
[2] Firstly, he was Head of Works at the Higher Educational Institute in Gombe, then he held high positions in the intelligence services of the Mobutu regime.
In November 2007, he was Minister of Culture and the Arts in the Government of Antoine Gizenga.
He reprised the same role as Minister of Culture and Arts in the Muzito I government.