18 Facts About Nyamko Sabuni

Nyamko Ana Sabuni was born on 31 March 1969 and is a Swedish politician who was Leader of the Liberals between June 2019 and April 2022.

Nyamko Sabuni previously served as Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and as Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 to 2013 in the Swedish government.

Nyamko Sabuni made history in June 2019, by becoming the first party leader in the Swedish parliament coming from an ethnic minority and the first party leader of a refugee background.

Nyamko Sabuni was born in Bujumbura in Burundi where her father, a left-wing politician from Zaire, lived in exile.

Nyamko Sabuni's father is a Christian while her mother is a Muslim.

The family obtained political asylum in Sweden in 1981 and Nyamko Sabuni grew up in Kungsangen, north of Stockholm.

Nyamko Sabuni studied law at Uppsala University, migration policy at Malardalen University College in Eskilstuna, and information and media communications at Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm.

Nyamko Sabuni was married from 2004 to 2012 and has twin boys, Joel and Michee from that marriage.

Nyamko Sabuni was a member of board of the Liberal Youth of Sweden from 1996 to 1998.

Nyamko Sabuni has cited the murder of Ivorian refugee Gerard Gbeyo, committed by a Swedish neo-Nazi in the town of Klippan in 1995, as one of the reasons she became involved in politics.

Shortly after she was elected into office she made a publicized decision to withdraw funding for the organization Centrum mot rasism, where her uncle Mkyabela Nyamko Sabuni was a director.

Nyamko Sabuni has proposed a ban on hijab for girls under 15 and advocated the inclusion of honor killings as an independent category within the Swedish criminal code.

Nyamko Sabuni suggests that practices such as praying five times a day, or questioning music marginalize Muslims.

Nyamko Sabuni is the first person of African descent to be appointed as Minister in the Swedish government.

Nyamko Sabuni resigned on 21 January 2013, citing that her successor should be prepared prior to the 2014 general election.

Nyamko Sabuni was elected party leader of the Liberals in June 2019.

On 8 April 2022, Nyamko Sabuni resigned as the party leader following a controversy stemming from her statement that she would flee Sweden for Norway if Sweden was ever invaded.

Nyamko Sabuni was the same day replaced by Johan Pehrson.