Idi Amin

**Idi Amin Dada Oumee** (/ˈiːdi ɑːˈmiːn, ˈɪdi -/ ⓘ, UK also /- æˈmiːn/; 30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) na he be a Ugandan military officer den politician wey serve as de third presido of Uganda from 1971 til ein overthrow insyd 1979. Na he rule as a military dictator wey na he be considered one of de most brutal despots insyd modern world history.

Na Amin be born to a Kakwa poppie den Lugbara mommie. Insyd 1946, na he join de King's African Rifles (KAR) of de British Colonial Army as a cook. Na he rise to de rank of lieutenant, wey he dey take part insyd British actions against Somali rebels den then de Mau Mau Uprising insyd Kenya. Na Uganda gain independence from de United Kingdom insyd 1962, wey na Amin remain insyd de army, wey he rise to de position of deputy army commander insyd 1964 wey na dem appoint am commander two years later. Na he cam be aware say na Ugandan presido Milton Obote dey plan make he arrest am for misappropriating army funds, so na he launch de 1971 Ugandan coup d'état wey he declare einself presido. 

During ein years insyd power, na Amin shift from na he be a pro-Western ruler wey dey enjoy considerable support from Israel to na he be backed by Libya ein Muammar Gaddafi, Zaire ein Mobutu Sese Seko, de Soviet Union, den East Germany. Insyd 1972, na Amin expel Asians, a majority of wey na dem be Indian-Ugandans, wey e lead India make e sever diplomatic relations plus ein regime. Insyd 1975, na Amin assume chairmanship of de Organisation of African Unity (OAU), an intergovernmental organization wey ne designed make e promote solidarity among African states (a role wey dey rotate annually). Na Uganda be a member of de United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 1977 to 1979. Na de United Kingdom break diplomatic relations plus Uganda insyd 1977, wey na Amin declare say he defeat de British wey na he add "CBE" to ein title for "Conqueror of the British Empire".

As na Amin ein rule progress into de late 1970s, na der be increased unrest against ein persecution of certain ethnic groups den political dissidents, along plus Uganda ein very poor international standing secof Amin ein support for PFLP-EO den RZ hijackers insyd 1976, wey dey lead to Israel ein Operation Entebbe. He then attempt make he annex Tanzania ein Kagera Region insyd 1978. Na Tanzanian Presido Julius Nyerere order ein troops make dem invade Uganda in response. Na Tanzanian Army den rebel forces successfully capture Kampala insyd 1979 wey dem oust Amin from power. Na Amin go into exile, first insyd Libya, then Iraq, den finally insyd Saudi Arabia, wer na he live til ein death insyd 2003.

Na Amin ein rule be characterized by rampant human rights abuses wey dey include political repression den extrajudicial killings as well as nepotism, corruption, den gross economic mismanagement. International observers den human rights groups estimate say between na dem kill 100,000 den 500,000 people under ein regime.

## Early life

Virtually all retellings of Amin ein early life ve contradictory, as he no wrep an autobiography wey he never authorize a written account of ein life. Na British governmental records put Amin ein birth year insyd 1925; however, na dem no keep records give native Ugandans for de time. Insyd a 1972 interview plus Judith Hare, na Amin dey give ein birthplace as de village of Koboko wey ein age as 46, wich na go put ein birth year insyd 1926. Insyd a book dem publish insyd 1977 by Little, Brown and Company wey a British advisor in Uganda wrep wey dey use de pseudonym David Gwyn, na dem born Amin insyd Buganda plus ein age dem give as 48, wey dey place ein birth year insyd 1928. De most comprehensive biography of Amin dey cam from ein family dey base on oral tradition, wich na e get sam authority buh dem no fi confirm ein details ultimately. Family tradition den Saudi authorities insyd Jeddah dey put ein birth date as 10 Dhu al-Hijja 1346 insyd de Islamic calendar (30 May 1928 insyd de Gregorian Calendar).

### Early kiddie time den family

According to Amin ein family, Ugandan oral tradition, den ein Saudi death certificate, na dem born Idi Amin Dada Oumee on 30 May 1928 around 4 a.m. insyd ein poppie ein workplace, de Shimoni Police Barracks insyd Nakasero Hill, Kampala. Na dem give am de name Idi after ein birth on de Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. According to Fred Guweddeko, a researcher at Makerere University, na Amin ein birth name be Idi Awo-Ango Angoo. 

Na he be de third son of Amin Dada Nyabira Tomuresu (1889–1976), an ethnic Kakwa, den ein second wifey, Aisha Chumaru Aate (1904–1970), a Lugbara. Na dem christen ein poppie as a Roman Catholic wey na dem born am plus de name Andreas Nyabira Tomuresu. According to British journalist David Martin, na Nyabira spend chaw of ein life insyd South Sudan. Na he convert to Islam insyd 1910 after na dem conscript am as a bugler by de colonial British army under ein uncle, de Kakwa tribal leader Sultan Ali Kenyi Dada as a six-year-old child soldier wey na dem give am de name Amin Dada. Na he join de Protectorate Police Force insyd Kampala's Nsambia Police Barracks insyd 1913.

### Boyhood den education
While living plus ein mommie ein relatives, na Amin reportedly work as a goat farmer from ages eight to ten. Insyd 1938, na he move go de home of Sheikh Ahmed Hussein insyd de nearby town of Semuto wey na he begin dey memorize de Quran thru recitation til na he dey 12. Insyd 1940, na Amin move go Bombo wey na he live plus ein maternal uncle, Yusuf Tanaboo. Na he attempt make he register for primary school buh na dem reject am, na dem reportedly say secof Amin ein paternal Nubian heritage.

De same year, na Amin injure while he dey participate insyd Nubian riots against discrimination at Makerere University insyd Wandegeya. Na dem enrol am insyd de Garaya madrasa insyd Bombo wey he continue dey memorize de Quran under Mohammed Al Rajab til 1944, wey na he reportedly win honours insyd recitation insyd 1943. Na dem conscript Amin by de colonial army alongsyd fifteen oda students before na dem discharge am for he be underage.

Insyd 1945, na he move go de Kiyindi Parish insyd Bwaise Parish wey na he work different odd jobs, na dis include work as a doorman den concierge assistant for de Grand Imperial Hotel insyd Kampala.

## King's African Rifles

Na Amin join de King's African Rifles (KAR) insyd 1946 as an assistant cook, while at de same time he dey receive military training til 1947. Insyd later life na he falsely claim he serve insyd de Burma Campaign of World War II. Na dem transfer am to Kenya for infantry service as a private insyd 1947, wey he serve insyd de 21st KAR infantry battalion insyd Gilgil, Kenya Colony til 1949. Dat year, na dem deploy ein unit to northern Kenya make he fight against Somali rebels. Insyd 1952, na dem deploy ein brigade against de Mau Mau rebels insyd Kenya. Na dem promote am to corporal de same year, then to sergeant insyd 1953.

Insyd 1959, na dem make Amin Effendi Class 2 (Warrant Officer), de highest possible rank for a black soldier insyd de KAR. Na Amin return to Uganda de same year wey he receive a short-service commission as a lieutenant on 15 July 1961, wey he cam turn one of de first two Ugandans make he cam turn commissioned officers. Na dem assign am make he quell de cattle rustling between Uganda ein Karamojong den Kenya ein Turkana nomads. According to researcher Holger Bernt Hansen, na Amin ein outlook, behavior den strategies of communication be strongly influenced by ein experiences insyd de colonial military. Na dis include eim direct den hands-on leadership style wich go eventually contribute to ein popularity among certain parts of Ugandan society.

## Rise insyd de Uganda Army

Insyd 1962, dey follow Uganda ein independence from de United Kingdom, na dem promote Amin to captain den then, insyd 1963, to major. Na dem appoint am Deputy Commander of de Army insyd 1964 den, de year wey dey follow to Commander of de Army. Insyd 1970, na dem promote am to commander of all de armed forces.

Na Amin be an athlete during ein time insyd both de British den Uganda Army. At 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) tall wey he be powerfully built, na he de Ugandan light heavyweight boxing champion from 1951 to 1960, as well as a swimmer. Na Amin sanso be a formidable rugby forward, although one officer said of am: "Idi Amin be a splendid type den a good (rugby) player, buh virtually bone from de neck up, wey he dey need things explained insyd words of one letter". Insyd de 1950s, na he play for Nile RFC.

Der be a frequently repeated urban myth dey talk say na dem select am as a replacement by de East Africa rugby union team for dema 1955 tour match against de British Lions. Amin, however, no dey appear insyd de team photograph anaa on de official team list top.

Insyd 1965, na dem implicate Prime Minister Milton Obote den Amin insyd a deal to smuggle ivory den gold into Uganda from de Democratic Republic of the Congo. De deal, as later wey General Nicholas Olenga allege, an associate of de former Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, na he be part of an arrangement make dem help troops wey oppose to de Congolese government trade ivory den gold for arms supplies secretly smuggle to dem by Amin. Insyd 1966, na de Ugandan Parliament demand an investigation. Na Obote impose a new constitution wey dey abolish de ceremonial presidency wey Kabaka (King) Mutesa II of Buganda hold wey na he declare einself executive presido. Na he promote Amin to colonel den army commander. Na Amin lead an attack on de Kabaka ein palace wey na he force Mutesa into exile to de United Kingdom, wer na he remain til ein death insyd 1969.

Na Amin begin dey recruit members of Kakwa, Lugbara, South Sudanese, den oda ethnic groups from de West Nile area wey dey border South Sudan. Na de South Sudanese be residents insyd Uganda since de early 20th century, wey dem cam from South Sudan make dem serve de colonial army. Chaw African ethnic groups insyd northern Uganda dey inhabit both Uganda den South Sudan; na allegations persist dat na Amin ein army consist mainly of South Sudanese soldiers.

## Seizure of power

Eventually na a rift develop between Amin den Obote, wey exacerbate by de support na Amin built within de Uganda Army by he recruit from de West Nile region, ein involvement insyd operations make e support de rebellion insyd southern Sudan den an attempt on Obote ein life insyd 1969. Insyd October 1970, ns Obote take control of de armed forces, wey dey reduce Amin from ein months-old post of commander of all de armed forces to dat of de commander of de Uganda Army.

Na he learn say na Obote dey plan make he arrest am for misappropriating army funds, na Amin seize power insyd a military coup plus de assistance of Israeli government agents on 25 January 1971, while na Obote dey attend dat year ein Commonwealth summit meeting insyd Singapore. Na troops loyal to Amin seal off Entebbe International Airport wey dem take Kampala. Na soldiers surround Obote ein residence wey dem block major roads. Na a broadcast on Radio Uganda accuse Obote ein government of corruption den preferential treatment of de Lango region. Na dem report cheering crowds insyd de streets of Kampala after de radio broadcast. Amin, wey na he present einself a soldier, no be a politician, declare say na de military government go remain only as a caretaker regime til new elections, wich dem go hold wen na de situation normalized. Na he promise he go release all political prisoners.

Na Amin hold a state funeral insyd April 1971 give Edward Mutesa, former king (*kabaka*) of Buganda den presido, wey na he die insyd exile.

## Presidency

### Establishment of military rule
On 2 February 1971, one week after de coup, Amin declare einself Presido of Uganda, Commander-in-Chief of de Armed Forces, Uganda Army Chief of Staff, den Chief of Air Staff. Na he suspend certain provisions of de Ugandan constitution, wey he soon institute an Advisory Defense Council wey be composed of military officers plus einself as de chairmo. Na Amin place military tribunals above de system of civil law, wey na he appoint soldiers to top posts insyd government den government-owned corporations, wey he inform de newly inducted civilian cabinet ministers say dem go be subject to military courtesy. Na Amin rule by decree; over de course of ein rule na he issue approximately 30 decrees.

### Persecution of ethnic den political groups

Na Amin retaliate against de attempted invasion by Ugandan exiles insyd 1972 by purging de Uganda Army of Obote supporters, predominantly those wey komot de Acholi den Lango ethnic groups. Insyd July 1971, na dem massacre Lango den Acholi soldiers insyd de Jinja den Mbarara barracks. By early 1972, na sam 5,000 Acholi den Lango soldiers, den at least twice as chaw civilians, disappear. Na de victims soon cam include members of oda ethnic groups, religious leaders, journalists, artists, senior bureaucrats, judges, lawyers, students den intellectuals, criminal suspects, den foreign nationals. Insyd dis atmosphere of violence, na dem kill chaw oda people for criminal motives anaa simply at will. Na dem often dump bodies into de River Nile.

### International relations

Initially, na Amin be supported by Western powers such as Israel, West Germany, den, insyd particular, de United Kingdom. During de late 1960s, na Obote ein move to de left, wich include ein Common Man's Charter den de nationalisation of 80 British companies, wey e make de West worried say  he go pose a threat to Western capitalist interests insyd Africa den make Uganda an ally of de Soviet Union. Amin, wey na he serve plus de King's African Rifles wey he take part insyd Britain ein suppression of de Mau Mau uprising prior to Ugandan independence, na he be known by de British as "intensely loyal to Britain". Na dis male am an obvious choice as Obote ein successor. Although na dam claim say na dem dey groom Amin for power as early as 1966, na de plotting by de British den oda Western powers begin in earnest insyd 1969, after ns Obote begin ein nationalization programme.

Thru out de first year of ein presidency, na Amin receive key military den financial support from de United Kingdom den Israel. Insyd na July 1971 he visit both countries wey na he biz for advanced military equipment, buh na de states refuse to provide hardware unless de Ugandan government bia for am. Na Amin decide make he seek foreign support elsewhere den insyd February 1972 he visit Libya. Na Amin denounce Zionism, den in return na Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi pledge Uganda an immediate $25 million loan to be followed by more lending from de Libyan–Ugandan Development Bank. Over de months wey dey follow Amin successively remove Israeli military advisers from ein government, na he expel all oda Israeli technicians, wey na he finally break diplomatic relations. Na Gaddafi sanso mediate a resolution to long-standing Ugandan–Sudanese tensions, wey Amin agree make he stop backing Anyanya rebels insyd southern Sudan wey instead he recruit de former guerilla fighters into ein army.

### War plus Tanzania den deposition

## Exile

Na Amin first escape to Libya, wer na he stay til 1980, den ultimately he settle insyd Saudi Arabia, wer na de Saudi royal family allow am sanctuary wey na dem pay am a generous subsidy in return for make he stay out of politics. Na Amin live for a number of years on de top two floors of de Novotel Hotel on Palestine Road insyd Jeddah. Brian Barron, wey na he cover de Uganda–Tanzania War for de BBC as chief Africa correspondent, togeda plus cameraman Mohamed Amin (no relation) of Visnews insyd Nairobi, locate Amin on 4 June 1980, wey na dem secure de first interview plus am since ein deposition. While insyd exile, na Amin fund remnants of ein army wey dem fight insyd de Ugandan Bush War. Though na he continue be a controversial figure, na some of Amin ein former followers as well as chaw rebel groups continue dey fight insyd ein name for decades wey dem occasionally advocate for ein amnesty den even ein restoration to de Ugandan Presidency. During interviews na he give during ein exile insyd Saudi Arabia, na Amin hold that n Uganda need am wey he never express remorse for de brutal nature of ein regime.

Insyd de final years of ein life, na Amin reportedly chop a fruitarian diet. Na ein daily consumption of oranges earn am de nickie "Dr Jaffa" among Saudi Arabians.

## Illness den death

On 19 July 2003, na Amin ein fourth wifey, Nalongo Madina, report say na he dey insyd a coma den near death for de King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre insyd Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from kidney failure. Na she plead plus de Ugandan presido, Yoweri Museveni, make he allow am return to Uganda for de remainder of ein life. Na Museveni reply say Amin go "answer for ein sins de moment na dem bring am back". Na Amin ein family eventually decide make dem disconnect life support wey na Amin consequently die at de hospital insyd Jeddah on 16 August 2003. Na dem bury am insyd Ruwais Cemetery insyd Jeddah insyd a simple grave, widout any fanfare.

After Amin ein death, na David Owen reveal say during ein term as de British Foreign Secretary (1977 to 1979), na he propose say make dem assassinate Amin. Na he defend dis, dey argue: I no be ashamed of I dey consider am, secof ein regime dey go down insyd de scale of Pol Pot as one of de worst of all African regimes.

## Family den associates

Na Idi Amin marry at least six women, three of whom na he divorce. Na he marry ein first den second wifeys, Malyamu den Kay, insyd 1966. Insyd 1967, na he marry Nora, den then he marry Nalongo Madina insyd 1972. On 26 March 1974, na he announce on Radio Uganda say na he divorce Malyamu, Kay dem Nora. Na dem arrest Malyamu insyd Tororo on de Kenyan border insyd April 1974 wey na dem accuse am of she dey attempt make she smuggle a bolt of fabric into Kenya. Insyd 1974, na Kay Amin die under mysterious circumstances, wey dem find ein body dismembered. Na Nora flee to Zaire insyd 1979; ein current whereabouts be unknown.

Insyd July 1975, na Amin stage a £2 million wedding to 19-year-old Sarah Kyolaba, a go-go dancer plus de *Revolutionary Suicide Mechanised Regiment Band*, dem nickname "Suicide Sarah". 

Insyd early 2007, na de award-winning film *The Last King of Scotland* prompt one of ein sons, Jaffar Amin (born insyd 1967), make he speak out insyd ein poppie ein defence. Na Jaffar Amin say he dey wrep a book make he rehabilitate ein poppie ein reputation. Jaffar be de tenth of Amin ein 40 official kiddies by seven official wifeys.

Na among Amin ein closest associates be de Briton Bob Astles. Na Isaac Maliyamungu be an instrumental affiliate den one of de more feared officers insyd Amin ein army.

## Character

### Nickies
Over de course of ein career, na Amin gain chaw nicknames, chaw of dem derogatory:

* "Big Daddy": affectionate nickie

* *kijambiya* ("the machete"): dem attribute to Ugandan security forces wey often dey murder dema victims plus machetes
* "Butcher of Uganda"
* "Butcher of Africa"
* "Butcher of Kampala"
* "Black Hitler"
* "Dada":
* "Dr. Jaffa": na he earn dis nickie in exile insyd Saudi Arabia secof ein daily consumption of oranges, especially after he allegedly transition to fruitarianism.

## References


## Sources

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* Cotton, Fran (Ed., 1984). *The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records*. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. .
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## External links

* The Idi Amin I knew, Brian Barron, BBC, 16 August 2003. Includes a video of Brian Barron interviewing Idi Amin in exile in 1980. The Atlantic – 1 April 2001 Memo and Quincy LS the series
* General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait on Google Videos (Flash Video)
* idiamindada.com, a website devoted to Idi Amin's legacy created by his son Jaffar Amin
*  at IMDb