Nyamko Sabuni was born on 31 March 1969 in Bujumbura in Burundi where her father, a left-wing politician from Zaire, lived in exile.
Her father is one of the sons of Fizi-Itombwe, in the D.R. Congo.
Sabuni’s father is a Christian while her mother is a Muslim. The family obtained political asylum in Sweden in 1981 and Sabuni grew up in Kungsängen, north of Stockholm. She studied law at Uppsala University, migration policy at Mälardalen University College in Eskilstuna, and information and media communications at Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm.
As a member of the Liberal Party, Madam Sabuni was elected and became a Member of Parliament in 2002.
She then served as Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and as Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 to 2013 in the Swedish government. She made history on 28 of 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.
“Our party has a proud history. It is like a mosaic where we put our bit to make Sweden more liberal. Today we add another bit to that mosaic when Liberalerna as the first party in Sweden elects a party leader with an African-Swedish background. It is yet another proof that for Liberalerna, Sweden is a land of opportunities,” said Madam Sabuni in her speech after the election.
“We have a proud history but we also have important tasks ahead of us. I look forward to doing this important work with you. I am incredibly proud to lead the party,” Sabuni summed up in the press conference later on the same day.
She was married from 2004 to 2012 and had twin boys, Joel and Michee.
