[2] He and other Burundian leaders of the government were assassinated on 15 December 1965,[2] by Tutsi soldiers during a reprisal effort to stop a coup by Hutu officers.

[3] Close to the Urundian monarchy due to his high-status Hutu background,[4] he began working for Mwami Mwambutsa IV.

[3] He also joined the Union for National Progress (UPRONA) party and served as an advisor to its leader, Prince Louis Rwagasore.

[3] In January 1961 the Belgian administration appointed a provisional government for Burundi led by Prime Minister Joseph Cimpaye.

[3] Following Rwagasore's death, André Muhirwa became Prime Minister of Burundi,[10] and Bamina strongly supported his government.

[4] Though Mirerekano was made a vice president, he refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new national party committee and began leading a separate wing of the organisation.

[13] Bamina initially held the UPRONA presidency alongside his position as the Mwami's chief of staff, until Mwambutsa decided the two roles were incompatible and force him to leave the second office.

[15] In January 1965, the Mwami tapped Pierre Ngendandumwe, a Hutu, to form a new government as Prime Minister,[16] in part because of his stance against Chinese and communist influence in the country.

UPRONA won a majority 21 seats, but by then the party had lost cohesion and was overtaken by factionalism,[26] with a cross-party Hutu caucus growing in strength.