A pygmoid group called the Twa are thought to be Burundi's first inhabitants, and they comprise about 1% of the population today. The Hutu finished migrating to Burundi by the 11th century, and in the 14th century the Tutsi invaded and dominated under successive Tutsi mwamis, or kings. The Tutsi have never comprised more than 15% of the population (today it is about 14%), but have always been dominate over the Hutu people, who comprise about 85% of the population. The political system that developed centered on the mwamis, and ganwa (ruling princes), who were Tutsi. The Tutsi leaders subjugated the rest of the population (the Hutu and Twa), through feudalism with land and cattle contracts, and consequently the Hutu and Twa became inferior caste members. (Best,McHenry, Reyntjens)

Unlike most African states Burundi is not the product of colonial rule. Burundi had been an independent kingdom for many centuries before the Germans developed an interest in it in 1895. In 1899, the Germans successfully colonized Burundi and incorporated it into German East Africa. Belgium took control of Burundi and Rwanda (called Ruanda-Urundi) during WWI and although Belgium was technically in control, some 'indirect rule' by the Germans continued. After 1948, in response to demands by the UN Trusteeship Council, the Belgian administation began to move towards democratization. Two major parties surfaced, the Union pour le progres national (UPRONA) headed by Prince Louis Rwagasore (ganwa), and a party of opposition, the Parti democrate chretien (PDC).

UPRONA was a progressive nationalist movement with a goal of uniting different groups together. The PDC had good relations with the Belgian administration and was a more conservative party compared to UPRONA. In January of 1962 Burundi was to be granted self governance, and in preparation for this there was an election in September of 1961, between UPRONA and the PDC. UPRONA procured 58 of the 64 seats in the national assembly, and Rwagasore became prime minister. Two weeks after being elected he was assassinated by members of the PDC. This event was detrimental to the future of Burundi; Rwagasore's focus on unification dissolved, the UPRONA divided, and open conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi began.