Alexandre Banza, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Alexandre Banza

African army officer and politician

Date of Birth: 10-Oct-1932

Place of Birth: Carnot, Mambéré-Kadéï, Central African Republic

Date of Death: 12-Apr-1969

Profession: military personnel, politician

Nationality: Central African Republic

Zodiac Sign: Libra


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About Alexandre Banza

  • Lieutenant Colonel Alexandre Banza (10 October 1932 – 12 April 1969) was a military officer and politician in the Central African Republic.
  • Born in Carnot, Ubangi-Shari, Banza served with the French Army during the First Indochina War before joining the Central African Republic armed forces.
  • As commander of the Camp Kassaï military base in 1965, Banza helped Jean-Bédel Bokassa overthrow the government of President David Dacko.
  • Bokassa rewarded Banza by appointing him as minister of state and minister of finance in the new government.
  • Banza quickly established the new regime's reputation abroad and forged diplomatic relations with other countries.
  • In 1967, Bokassa and his protégé had a major argument over the president's extravagances.
  • In April 1968, Bokassa removed Banza as minister of finance.
  • Recognizing Bokassa's attempts to undermine him, Banza made a number of remarks highly critical of the president's handling of the government.
  • Bokassa responded by abolishing the minister of state position. Banza soon decided to stage a coup d'état.
  • He confided in a few military officers, who he hoped would support his attempt to gain power.
  • One of his confidants, Jean-Claude Mandaba, contacted the president and informed him of the date of the coup, 9 April 1969.
  • Hours before he was going to execute his bid for power, Banza was ambushed by Mandaba and taken directly to Bokassa.
  • Bokassa nearly beat Banza to death before Mandaba suggested that Banza be put on trial for appearance's sake.
  • On 12 April, Banza presented his case to a military tribunal, which quickly sentenced him to death by firing squad.
  • He was reportedly taken to an open field, where he was executed and buried in an unmarked grave.
  • Alternate circumstances of Banza's death have been reported in Time and Le Monde.
  • In the aftermath of the failed coup, Banza's family, mistress and close associates were all arrested and either sent to jail or deported.
  • With Banza eliminated, Bokassa spent extravagantly and surrounded himself with adulators.

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