FRONASA originated as a group of militant left-leaning intellectuals led by Yoweri Museveni. Its founding members mostly were ex-followers of President Milton Obote who had fallen out with him. The group's membership belonged to the Banyankole and Banyarwanda peoples. When Obote was overthrown during the 1971 Ugandan coup d'état, resulting in Idi Amin's assumption of the Ugandan Presidency, the Ugandan left split. Some decided to cooperate with Amin, while others went into exile to organize a militant resistance. Strongly opposed to Amin's regime, Museveni and his small group of comrades decided to team up with Obote's faction despite their previous disagreements.