SPIROS Richard Hagabimana, a former police officer from Burundi, is running an election campaign in working-class neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Athens with the goal of becoming Greece’s first Black lawmaker.
This journey is especially remarkable considering that just eight years ago, Hagabimana was imprisoned in his native country for refusing to open fire on anti-government protesters while serving as a high-ranking officer in the National Police.
Hagabimana’s potential win would be historic in Greece, where migrants rarely hold official posts and where, less than a decade ago, the extreme-right Golden Dawn party was the third-most popular political force, known for its fiercely anti-immigrant agenda. Another Black candidate, Nikodimos-Maina Kinyua, a Kenyan-born founder of the NGO ASANTE, is also running with the leftist Syriza party in Athens, although his chances of winning a seat are considered lower.
The district where Hagabimana is campaigning, which includes the struggling town of Perama and the island of Salamina, was once a stronghold of Golden Dawn during Greece’s economic crisis in 2015. However, Golden Dawn has since disintegrated, and its leaders were imprisoned for hate crimes in 2020. Hagabimana sees this as a sign that Greece has turned a page, saying, ‘I have faith in the Greek people.’
Hagabimana’s journey began in 1991 when he arrived in Greece on a scholarship to study at the Naval Academy. Due to political turmoil in Burundi, he sought asylum in Greece after graduating in 1996. He studied law and joined New Democracy’s youth wing. In 2005, he received Greek citizenship, but he decided to return to Burundi a decade later to participate in peacekeeping efforts with the United Nations. During the protests against a third presidential term in Burundi, Hagabimana, then a National Police officer, refused orders to suppress demonstrators and was subsequently imprisoned and subjected to beatings.
During his time in jail, a lawyer friend in Athens launched an international campaign for his release. With the assistance of Greek authorities, he returned to Athens in 2016. Hagabimana’s political agenda primarily focuses on business matters, but he also aims to inspire migrants by demonstrating that they can be equal members of society. He wants to show that everything he has achieved is within their reach. Hagabimana emphasises that the colour of his skin should not be the central focus, stating, ‘It is more important to me that I am a Greek citizen by choice.’
Hagabimana’s candidacy reflects a changing Greek society, where individuals with migrant backgrounds are increasingly participating in political processes and challenging long-held norms of exclusion. The upcoming election will test the acceptance and diversity of Greek politics, providing an opportunity for underrepresented communities to gain a voice in the country’s legislative body.
