Lamizana served as nominal head of a "provisional military government" until a new Constitution, ratified on 14 June 1970, provided for a four-year transition to fully civilian elected leadership; he was also foreign minister from 1966 to 1967.

In the early 1970s the effect of a five-year drought and increasing desertification in the Sahel brought the threat of famine to several nations including Upper Volta.

The resulting economic dislocation encouraged factionalism in the government, headed by Gérard Kango Ouédraogo, the prime minister who had been appointed by Lamizana.

[1] On 15 October 1973 Lamizana met with President Nixon and briefed him on the Sahel drought in the Oval Office.

With the support of unions and civil groups, Col. Saye Zerbo overthrew Lamizana in a bloodless military coup in November 1980.