Idi Amin - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com A+E Networks Introduction In 1971, General Idi Amin overthrew the elected government of Milton Obote and declared himself president of Uganda, launching a ruthless eight-year regime in which an estimated 300,000 civilians were massacred. His expulsion of all Indian and Pakistani citizens in 1972—along with increasing military expenditures—brought about the country’s economic decline, the impact of which lasted decades. In 1979 his reign of terror came to an end as Ugandan exiles and Tanzanians took control of the capital of Kampala, forcing Amin to flee. Never brought to justice for his heinous crimes, Amin lived out the remainder of his life in Saudi Arabia. ‹ › Google Idi Amin: Early Life and Military Career Idi Amin Dada was born c. 1925 in Koboko, in northwestern Uganda, to a Kakwa father and Lugbara mother, who separated shortly afterwards.

In 1946, after receiving only a rudimentary education, Amin joined the King’s African Rifles (KAR), a regiment of the British colonial army, and quickly rose through the ranks. He was deployed to Somalia in 1949 to fight the Shifta rebels and later fought with the British during the suppression of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya (1952-56). In 1959 he attained the rank of effendi—the highest position for a black African soldier within the KAR—and, by 1966, he had been appointed commander of the armed forces. Did You Know? During his time in the army, Amin became the light heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda, a title he held for nine years between 1951 and 1960. Amin Commandeers Control of Uganda’s Government After more than 70 years under British rule, Uganda gained its independence on October 9, 1962, and Milton Obote became the nation’s first prime minister. By 1964, Obote had forged an alliance with Amin, who helped expand the size and power of the Ugandan Army.

In February 1966, following accusations that the pair was responsible for smuggling gold and ivory from Congo that were subsequently traded for arms, Obote suspended the constitution and proclaimed himself executive president. Shortly thereafter, Obote sent Amin to dethrone King Mutesa II, also known as “King Freddie,” who ruled the powerful kingdom of Buganda in south-central Uganda. A few years and two failed—but unidentified—assassination attempts later, Obote began to question Amin’s loyalty and ordered his arrest while en route to Singapore for a Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. During his absence, Amin took the offensive and staged a coup on January 25, 1971, seizing control of the government and forcing Obote into exile. Amin’s Regime of Terror Once in power, Amin began mass executions upon the Acholi and Lango, Christian tribes that had been loyal to Obote and therefore perceived as a threat. He also began terrorizing the general public through the various internal security forces he organized, such as the State Research Bureau (SRB) and Public Safety Unity (PSU), whose main purpose was to eliminate those who opposed his regime.

In 1972, Amin expelled Uganda’s Asian population, which numbered between 50,000 and 70,000, resulting in a collapse of the economy as manufacturing, agriculture and commerce came to a screeching halt without the appropriate resources to support them. When the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked an Air France flight from Israel to Paris on June 27, 1976, Idi Amin welcomed the terrorists and supplied them with troops and weapons, but was humiliated when Israeli commandos subsequently rescued the hostages in a surprise raid on the Entebbe airport. In the aftermath, Amin ordered the execution of several airport personnel, hundreds of Kenyans whom were believed to have conspired with Israel and an elderly British hostage who had previously been escorted to a nearby hospital. Throughout his oppressive rule, Amin was estimated to have been responsible for the deaths of roughly 300,000 civilians. Amin Loses Control and Enters Exile Over time, the number of Amin’s intimate allies dwindled and formerly loyal troops began to mutiny.

When some fled across the border into Tanzania, Amin accused Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere of instigating the unrest and retaliated by annexing the Kagera Salient, a strip of territory north of the Kagera River, in November 1978. Two weeks later, Nyerere mobilized a counter-offensive to recapture the land, and drove the Ugandan Army out with the help of Ugandan exiles. The battle raged into Uganda, and on April 11, 1979, Amin was forced to flee when Kampala was captured. Although he originally sought refuge in Libya, he later moved to Saudi Arabia, where he lived comfortably until his death of multiple organ failure in 2003.

Tags Idi Amin - Biography - IMDb Biography Showing all 35 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (5) | Trade Mark (3) | Trivia (19) | Personal Quotes (3) Overview (4) 6' 4" (1.93 m) Mini Bio (1) Idi Amin Dada Oumee was born in the rural village of Koboko, Uganda, in 1923, a member of the Kakwa tribe. Raised in the isolated farming country of northwestern Uganda, Amin received a scant education which left him functionally illiterate. During the Second World War, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the British Army in the East African Rifles and fought in Burma against the Japanese. At the end of the war Amin joined the British 4th Ugandan Battalion. After distinguishing himself in the fight against Kenya's Mau Maus between 1953 and 1957, Amin was promoted to sergeant major and admitted to an officer training program. Despite his lack of formal education, he proved to be one of Uganda's most able military commanders.

In 1964, two years after Uganda was granted independence from Great Britian, Amin was appointed deputy chief of the nation's army and air force with the rank of colonel. When Amin's friend, Dr. Milton Obote, seized power in Uganda in February 1966, he placed Amin as his right-hand man in full command of the armed forces, promoting him to major general in 1968. By 1970 a rift had developed between the two men, both wanting more power. On January 25, 1971, Amin overthrew Obote in a military coup, forcing him into exile. Amin then declared himself president and general, and a year later promoted himself to field marshal. Amin's victory over the authoritarian Obote regime was initially greeted with widespread support. However, that soon turned to hatred and fear when Amin began solidifying his absolute control over the nation.

Within months after assuming office this large man (standing 6'4" and weighing 280 pounds) ordered the murder of over 5,000 members of the rival Acholi and Langi tribes which Obote and his supporters came from, beginning a reign of terror in Uganda from 1971 to 1979 in which at least 350,000 Ugandans were murdered by Amin and his secret police. In 1972 Amin, angered over foreign residents' control of Ugandan commerce, ordered the expulsion of 55,000 Asian workers and businessmen and seized their businesses and assets for himself and his supporters. Amin also stole $1.5 billion in US and British foreign aid money and squandered it on military weapons, tripling the size of Uganda's army. In 1975 he declared himself president for life and embarked on a campaign to humiliate British nationals, climaxing in the summer of that year when he forced four Englishmen to carry him around in an Organization of African Unity rally in a sedan chair.

Amin received some international attention in June-July of 1976 when he allowed Palestinian and East German terrorists to use Entebbe airport as a base to hold a group of hostages from a hijacked Air France airliner from Israel. In a daring midnight raid on July 4, 1976, Israeli commandos freed the hostages. Although Amin claimed he was trying to negotiate the hostages' release, there was irrefutable evidence that he was indeed cooperating with and supporting the hijackers. Although he converted to Islam, Amin was oppressive in his new religion and was a noted polygamist with at least five wives and 23 children. By 1977 Uganda's economy was in shambles with a failing infrastructure, and Amin began losing support almost everywhere. In an attempt to rally the Ugandan people for his support, Amin in the spring of 1978 ordered his army to invade neighboring Tanzania, occupying 400 square miles of the country, supposedly the beginning of his plan to conquer all of Africa for himself.

After a slow start, a force of 6,000 Ugandan rebels-in-exile, aided by a slowly mobilized 50,000-strong Tanzanian army, launched a counter-offensive against Amin's 70,000-strong army in December 1978. Amin's forces, demoralized and unwilling to fight any longer for their leader, rapidly collapsed. Although Col. Muammar Gadaffi of Libya sent troops and equipment to aid Amin's army, and the Palestine Liberation Organization sent some of its fighters, they were not sufficient to quell the popular uprising that ensued throughout Uganda and the approaching Tanzanian troops and Ugandan rebels. Amin's oppressive rule was brought to an end on April 11, 1979 when Tanzanian soldiers captured the Ugandan capital of Kampala, forcing Amin to flee into exile, taking most of his ill-gotten wealth and supporters with him. Amin first went to Libya and then to Saudi Arabia where he lived until his death in 2003.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Matthew Patay Spouse (5) Uganda - Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda Tweet President Yoweri Museveni first came to power after a successful five-year guerrilla struggle during the 1980s. He has stood for, and won, four democratic elections since then, making notable economic and social improvements to Uganda along the way. Born to a family of cattle farmers in western Uganda in 1944, Mr. Museveni attended missionary schools as a child before leaving for Tanzania to study political science and economics at the University of Dar es Salaam. There, he became chairman of a leftist student group allied with African liberation movements and also fought in the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), where he learned the techniques of guerrilla warfare. When the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin came to power in Uganda in 1971, Museveni founded the Front for National Salvation, which helped overthrow Amin in 1979. He then went on to hold posts in transitional governments and in 1980 ran for president of Uganda.

However, when the elections – which were widely believed to have been rigged – were won by Milton Obote, Museveni formed the National Resistance Movement which eventually seized control of the country in 1986. After declaring himself as President, his National Resistance Movement ran Uganda as a one-party state until a referendum brought back multi-party politics in 2005. His current term began in 2011. President Museveni has been credited with restoring stability and economic growth to Uganda following years of civil war and repression under Milton Obote and Idi Amin before him. Mr. Museveni introduced democratic reforms and was also credited with substantially improving human rights, notably by reducing abuses by the army and the police. Having enjoyed the support of the international community in order to revitalize the collapsed economy of which he inherited, he first initiated economic policies designed to combat key problems such as hyperinflation and the balance of payments. Thereafter, Museveni eventually embraced the neo-liberal structural adjustments advocated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Museveni has won praise from Western governments for his adherence to IMF Structural adjustment programs, such as privatising state enterprises, cutting government spending and urging African self-reliance. Museveni is a staunch supporter of Pan-Africanism. He was elected chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1991 and 1992, and has attributed Uganda’s interventionist foreign policy in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the values of Pan-Africanism. Uganda is currently helping to bring peace in Somalia, where the country is providing the vanguard of the peace-keepers. Perhaps Museveni’s most widely noted accomplishment has been his government’s successful campaign against AIDS. During the 1980s, Uganda had one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, but now Uganda’s rates are comparatively low, and the country stands as a rare success story in the global battle against the virus. Uganda Overview Since the late 1980s Uganda has recovered from the horror of civil war and economic disaster to become a relatively peaceful, stable and prosperous nation.

During the 1970s and 1980s Uganda was notorious for human rights abuses resulting from the military dictatorship of Idi Amin between 1971 and 1979 and then again with the return to power of Milton Obote, who had been driven out by Amin eight years before. It is estimated that half a million people were killed in this dark period of state-sponsored violence. After becoming president in 1986 after a coup d’état, Yoweri Museveni helped put the country on the path to peace, democracy and socio-economic development. Following Western-backed economic reforms that produced solid growth and falls in inflation, the country established a strong record of prudent macroeconomic management and structural reform between the 1990s and 2000s, becoming one of the first sub-Saharan African countries to proceed with liberalisation and pro-market policies. The discovery of oil and gas in the west of the country has also done much to boost confidence and development.

While the global economic turndown of 2008 hit Uganda hard, in 2013 Uganda saw the consolidation of macroeconomic stability and a gradual recovery of economic activity, with real GDP growth projected to reach 6.6% in 2014. Strong economic growth has also enabled substantial poverty reduction over the last two decades, meaning the country remains on track towards reaching this category of the World Bank’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Aside from Uganda’s recent discovery of oil, the country also benefits from its wealth in a variety of other natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force, with coffee accounting for the bulk of export revenues. President Idi Amin Dada (Field Marshall) | State House Uganda President Idi Amin Dada (Field Marshall) 25 January 1971 to 11 April 1979 President Idi Amin Dada (Field Marshall) Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada was the third President on Independent Uganda, after Fredrick Muteesa II and Milton Obote.

Amin, a bulk head figure standing at more than six feet, was no easy President. He shook the world in different ways through his antics and was at one time one of the most 'feared' dictators in the world. There are different accounts about his place of birth. In some accounts, he claimed to have been born at the place where the International Conference Center stands today. Others say he was born in Koboko to a Kakwa father and a Lugbara mother. His actual year of birth is not clear too. It is said that he was born between 1925 and 1928. Amin’s childhood was a total wreck because he was abandoned by his mother when he was still a baby. He, however survived the street-wise way, selling snacks and doing casual work to earn a living. In 1946, Amin, who had hobnobbed with soldiers in his early life, courtesy of his mother’s marriage to a Kings African Rifle Clerk, joined the Kings African Rifles. It is not clear whether he joined directly as a soldier; however some sources claim that he was first recruited as a kitchen cook. But soon, he became a real soldier.

It was while with the KAR that the word 'Dada' was added to his name because he kept mentioning it whenever he greeted a lady. In between soldiering, he enjoyed different sports activities, including boxing in which he rose to the level of a National Heavy Weight Champion, he tried out athletics as a sprinter and played rugby. He was all the time jolly. He was a distinguished soldier, easy to pick out from the crowd, largely owing to his actions. During an attack against the Mau-Mau in Kenya, he fought bravely in places like Kinyoma and Kangema in which he killed several of them. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1955 and he became a Commissioned Officer in 1961. He was deployed as commander of a unit in Karamoja that was supposed to stop cattle rustling in the area. By the time Uganda got her independence, Idi Amin was one of the leading soldiers who formed the first Uganda independence army. By 1964 he had been named Deputy Army Commander while Shaban Opolot was the Army Commander. Milton Obote then deployed him to help the Katanga rebels who were fighting against Zaire government.

Later, it emerged that Amin had indeed sold gold and diamonds given to him by the rebels in return for arms. Much later, the issue went before parliament for debate; however Obote snuffed it in the bud by arresting all the ring leaders, hence saving himself and Amin. Having struck a 'wonderful' chord, when Obote fell out with Kabaka Fredrick Muteesa, it was Idi Amin, then a Colonel of the army that he turned to for survival. On 24th May 1966, Obote sent a force commanded by Idi Amin to attack the Lubiri in order to bring the Kabaka alive or dead. Amin carried out this order diligently. While he obeyed his master’s orders to the letter, Amin had his personal ambitions up his sleeve. For example, he was recruiting hundreds of his kinsmen into the army. These were to come in handy later when he decided to take over high office. Among these included Sudanese and Congolese. By the early 1970s, Amin had created a sizeable force within the Uganda Army that could answer to his whims and Obote recognized this too.

A fall out started and finally, it culminated into the 1971 coup. At that time Obote wanted to arrest Idi Amin for various cases including murder. Then, Major General Amin however used his men to stop the move and was soon declared President while Obote was attending a Common Wealth Conference in Singapore. There was jubilation when Amin captured power, largely because Obote had lost popularity. But soon, it was noticed that Amin was not the savior the country thought he was. Nonetheless, he started off by releasing all political prisoners who had been imprisoned by Obote. He appointed an all inclusive cabinet, full of professionals and experts-which were hailed by both local and international commentators. But underneath this all, there was murder going on-especially of Langi soldiers in the Uganda Army. According to various accounts, over 1,000 soldiers from Privates up to the rank of Colonel were murdered in the first days after the coup. Outside the army, the first few years of Amin`s regime saw the murder of several prominent personalities including Ben Kiwanuka (Attorney General). By 1972, the economy which he had found in a good condition was shriveling.

He had already caught up with religious extremism and had shifted from being a 'darling' of the Western world- UK, to the East, especially Russia. He claimed to stand for the Palestinian cause and vowed to fight for it. However, it was his 'dream' to chase away the Asians, who hitherto owned most key businesses that shook the world. He gave them just 90 days to leave or perish. Many of them left, others did not, but instead chose to commit suicide. Asian businesses were then distributed amongst his cohorts. He then embarked on building his army as one of the best in Africa at the time, with fighter planes MIGs from Russia, tanks among others. He was so smitten with his abilities that he threatened to fight the 'imperialists' in South-Africa and the Israelis from Palestine. In 1974, he got an international respite when he held the OAU conference in Kampala. Notable developments at the time included the construction of both Nile Hotel and Nile Mansions to host the conference. While killings continued unabated, Amin further took his antics to the international level.

In 1976, he allowed a high-jacked Air France Plane, bound for Israel to land at Entebbe airport. The Israelis however attacked and rescued their citizens a few days later. His claim on land at the border with Tanzania, and earlier claims of land at the border with Kenya continued. In 1978, Amin`s soldiers launched an attack on the Kagera Salient in Tanzania and captured it. Little known to Amin, this was the sign that the Tanzanians and various exile groups wanted to get rid of Amin. By late 1978, they attacked and by April 1979, Amin had been defeated. Amin fled to Libya and later Saudi Arabia where he died on August 16, 2003. Officially, Amin had five wives, all of whom he treated as 'First Ladies' at different functions. They included Kay Amin, Nora Amin, Medina Amin, Sarah Amin and Malyamu Amin. The number of children he fathered is above 30.

Idi Amin - New World Encyclopedia Idi Amin Next (Idolatry) Idi Amin Dada (mid-1920s – August 16, 2003) was President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. His reign was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, sectarian violence, and ethnic persecution, in particular with the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, and persecution of the Acholi people and Lango ethnic groups. The death toll during Amin's regime probably will never be accurately known; estimates range from 80,000 to as high as 500,000. Amin styled himself His Excellency, President of Uganda, President President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji, Doctor Idi Amin, VC, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. When he assumed power in 1971, Uganda had experienced a series of coups and counter coups since achieving independence in 1962.

Amin sincerely believed that his coup enjoyed popular support, while his promise to improve the economy, schools, health care and to raise the standard of living generated some enthusiasm. Cheering crowds were reported in the streets of Kampala after the coup. His charismatic personality exuded confidence in the ability of an African state, led by an African leader, to put its own house in order. Unfortunately, Amin's habit of blaming everything that was wrong in Uganda on the former colonial power wore thin as he accumulated personal wealth, ordered anyone who opposed him killed. He made no effort to establish a democratic, civilian government. What was meant to be a short-term, caretaker government lasted eight years. Like many dictators, he argued that the measures he initially put in place were necessary to restore law and order. He never rescinded them. It is possible that the potential economic rewards of the Presidency were too attractive for a man who boasted about the poverty of his upbringing. The life he began to lead appears to have resulted in mental instability. Some allege that he suffered from syphilis. Contents Amin, at the beginning, had Uganda's interests at heart.

However, he lacked the skill to achieve the reforms he wanted and what started with a degree of hope, like dictatorial careers elsewhere, turned into a nightmare for his people. Early life Amin never wrote an autobiography, nor authorized any to be written. There are discrepancies as to when and where he was born. Biographical sources usually hold that he was born in Koboko or Kampala around about 1925. [1] According to Fred Guweddeko, a researcher at Makerere University, Idi Amin was fathered by Andreas Nyabire (1889–1976). Nyabire was an ethnic Kakwa and Roman Catholic Church who converted to Islam in 1910 and changed his name to Amin Dada. Abandoned by his father, Amin grew up with his maternal family. Guweddeko states that Amin's mother was called Assa Aatte (1904–1970), an ethnic Lugbara and a traditional herbalist, who among others treated members of Buganda royalty. Amin joined an Islamic school in Bombo, Uganda in 1941, where he excelled in reciting the Qur'an .

After a few years he left the school, and did odd jobs before being recruited to the army by a British colonial army officer. [2] Military career Colonial British army Amin joined the King's African Rifles (KAR) of the British Colonial Army in 1946 as an assistant cook. [1] He claimed he was forced to join the Army during World War II , and that he served in the Burma Campaign but this is disputed as records indicate he was first enlisted after the war was concluded. [3] [4] He transferred to Kenya for infantry service as a Private (rank) in 1947, and served in the 21st KAR infantry brigade in Gilgil, Kenya , until 1949 when his unit was deployed in Somalia to fight the Somali Shifta rebels who were cattle raiding|rustling cattle. [5] In 1952 his battalion was deployed against the Mau Mau rebels in Kenya. He was promoted to corporal the same year, then to sergeant in 1953. [2] In 1954 Amin was made effendi (Warrant officer), the highest rank possible for a Black African in the Colonial British Army.

He returned to Uganda the same year. In 1961 he became one of the first two Ugandans to become Officer (armed forces)|Commissioned Officers with the rank of Lieutenant. He was then assigned to quell the cattle rustling between Uganda's Karamojong and Kenya's Turkana nomads. He was promoted to captain in 1962, and major in 1963. The following year, Amin was appointed to Deputy Commander of the Army. [2] During his time in the army, the 193 cm (6'4") physically imposing Idi Amin was the Ugandan light heavyweight boxing champion from 1951 to 1960, as well as a swimmer and rugby player. [6] [7] Chronology of Amin's military promotions Field Marshal Army Commander In 1965 Prime Minister Milton Obote and Amin were implicated in a deal to smuggle ivory and gold into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo .

The deal, as later alleged by General Nicholas Olenga, an associate of the former Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, was part of an arrangement to help troops opposed to the Congolese government trade ivory and gold for arms supplies secretly smuggled to them by Amin. In 1966, Parliament demanded an investigation. Obote imposed a new constitution abolishing the ceremonial presidency held by Kabaka (King) Edward Mutesa II of Buganda, and declaring himself executive president. He promoted Amin to Colonel and Army Commander. An attack on the Kabaka's palace, led by Amin, forced Mutesa into exile to the United Kingdom where he remained until his death in 1969. [8] [9] Amin began recruiting members of Kakwa, Lugbara and other ethnic groups from the West Nile sub-region bordering Sudan . Nubians were also recruited into the Ugandan army. The Nubians in question had been resident in Uganda since the early twentieth century, having been brought from Sudan to serve the colonial army.

In Uganda, Nubians were commonly perceived as Sudanese foreigners, and erroneously referred to as "Anyanya" (Anyanya were southern Sudanese rebels of the First Sudanese Civil War and were not involved in Uganda). Allegations still persist that Idi Amin's army consisted substantially of Sudanese soldiers — a misconception resulting from the reality that many ethnic groups in Northern Uganda inhabit both Uganda and Sudan. [10] Seizure of power A number of factors - including the support Amin had built within the army by recruiting from the West Nile region, his involvement in operations to support the rebellion in southern Sudan , and the attempted assassination of Obote in 1969 - eventually led to a rift between Amin and Obote. In October 1970, Obote himself took control of the armed forces, reducing General Amin from the post of commander of all the armed forces - which he had held for only a few months - to that of Commander of the Army.

[11] After hearing that Obote was planning to arrest him for misappropriating army funds, Amin seized power in a 1971 Ugandan military coup on 25 January 1971, while Obote was attending a Commonwealth of Nations summit meeting in Singapore . Troops loyal to Amin sealed off Entebbe airport, the main international airport, and took control of Kampala. Obote's residence was surrounded, and major roads were blocked. A broadcast on Radio Uganda accused Obote's government of corruption, and for giving preferential treatment to the Lango region. Cheering crowds were reported in the streets of Kampala after the radio broadcast. [12] Amin announced that he was a soldier, not a politician, and that the military government would remain only as a caretaker regime until new elections, which would be announced as soon as the situation was normal. He also promised to release all political prisoners. [13] Idi Amin was initially welcomed both within Uganda and by the international community. In an internal memo, the British Foreign Office described him as "A splendid type and a good football player".

[14] He gave former king and president Mutesa (who had died in exile ) a state burial in April 1971, freed many political prisoners, and reiterated his promise to hold free and fair elections to return the country to democratic rule in the shortest period possible. [15] Amin's rule Establishment of military rule On February 2, 1971, one week after the coup, Amin declared himself president of Uganda, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Army Chief of staff (military) and Chief of Air Staff. He announced that certain provisions of the Constitution of Uganda had been suspended, and soon instituted an advisory Defence Council composed of military officers, with himself as the chairman. Military tribunals were placed above the system of civil law, soldiers were appointed to top government posts and parastatal agencies, and the newly inducted civilian cabinet ministers were informed that they would be subject to military discipline. [11] [16] The presidential lodge in Kampala, known as Government House, was renamed to "the Command Post". He disbanded the General Service Unit (GSU), an intelligence agency created by the previous government, and replaced it with the State Research Bureau (SRB).

SRB headquarters at Nakasero became the scene of torture and executions over the next several years. Other agencies used to root out political dissent included the Military Police and the Public Safety Unit (PSU). [17] Obote took refuge in Tanzania, having been offered sanctuary there by Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere . He was soon joined by 20,000 Ugandan refugees fleeing Amin. [18] In 1972, the exiles attempted to regain the country through a military invasion, without success. [6] Persecution of ethnic and other groups In retaliation to the attempted invasion by Ugandan exiles in 1972, Amin began purging the army of Obote supporters – predominantly those from the Acholi and Lango ethnic groups. [6] In July 1971, Lango and Acholi soldiers were massacred in the Jinja and Mbarara Barracks and by early 1972 some 5,000 Acholi and Lango soldiers, and at least twice as many civilians had disappeared.

[19] The victims soon came to include members of other ethnic groups, as well as religious leaders, judges, lawyers, students and intellectuals, criminal suspects, and foreign nationals. This created conditions in which many other people were killed for criminal motives or simply at will. [20] Bodies were dumped into the River Nile , on at least one occasion in quantities sufficient to clog the Owen Falls hydro-electric Dam in Jinja. [21] Did you know? For his killing of civilians, Idi Amin was called the "Butcher of Uganda," although he preferred to call himself Dada—"Big Daddy" The killings, for ethnic, political, and financial reasons, continued throughout Amin's eight-year reign. [19] The exact number of people killed is unknown. The International Commission of Jurists estimated the death toll at not less than 80,000 and more likely around 300,000. An estimate compiled by exile organizations with the help of Amnesty International , put the number killed at 500,000.

[3] Among the most prominent people killed were: Benedicto Kiwanuka, the former Prime Minister of Uganda and later Chief Justice; Janani Luwum, the Anglican Church Archbishop; Joseph Mubiru, the former Governor of Bank of Uganda|the Central Bank; Frank Kalimuzo, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University; Byron Kawadwa, a prominent playwright; and two of Amin's own cabinet ministers, Erinayo Wilson Oryema and Charles Oboth Ofumbi. [22] In 1977 the first from-the-inside exposé of Amin's rule was published. Henry Kyemba, Amin's Health Minister and a former official of the first Obote regime, defected and resettled in Britain. Kyemba wrote and published A State of Blood, which gave an in-depth account of Amin's rule. Expulsion of Asians In August 1972, Idi Amin declared what he called "Economic war," a set of policies which included the expropriation of properties owned by Asians and Europeans who he accused of living off Uganda's wealth while Africans suffered hardship. He saw the Asian community as a relic of colonialism.

Uganda's Asians, who numbered 80,000, were mostly Indians born in the country, their ancestors having come from India to Uganda when the country was still a British colony. Many owned businesses, including large-scale enterprises, forming the backbone of the Ugandan economy. On August 4, 1972 Amin issued a decree ordering the expulsion of the 60,000 Asians who were not Ugandan citizens (most of them held British passports). This was later amended to include all 80,000 Asians, but to exempt professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers. Most of the Asians with British passports - around 30,000 - emigrated to Britain. Others went to Canada , Australia , India, the U.S. and Sweden . [23] [24] [25] After their expulsion, businesses and properties belonging to the Asians were expropriated, most of them handed over to Amin's supporters. The businesses were mismanaged, and industries collapsed from lack of maintenance, proving disastrous for the already declining economy. [16] International relations The expulsion of Indian citizens severed relations between India and Uganda.

The government of India warned Uganda of dire consequences if no actions were taken to prevent the anti-Indian violence. However, ignored by Amin, India did not take any diplomatic action against Uganda. In 1972, Amin severed diplomatic ties with Britain and nationalized 85 British owned businesses. He also expelled Israeli military advisors, turning instead to Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya and the Soviet Union for support. [6] In 1973, the United States closed its embassy in Kampala , after U.S. Ambassador Thomas Patrick Melady recommended that the United States reduce its presence in Uganda. Melady described Amin's regime as racist , erratic, brutal, inept, bellicose, irrational, ridiculous, militaristic and above all xenophobic." [26] In June 1976 Idi Amin allowed an Air France aeroplane hijacked by two members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations (PFLP-EO) and two members of the German "Revolutionary_Cells" (RZ) to land at Entebbe International Airport. At Entebbe, the hijackers were joined by three more.

Soon after, 156 hostages were released and flown to safety, while 83 Israeli citizens and/or Jews were held hostage together with 20 others who refused to abandon them. In the subsequent Israeli rescue operation, dubbed "Operation Entebbe", nearly all of the hostages were freed. Three hostages died and ten were wounded; six hijackers, 45 Ugandan soldiers, and one Israeli soldier, Jonathan Netanyahu, were killed. This incident further soured international relations, leading Britain to close its High Commission in Uganda. [27] Uganda under Amin embarked on a large military build-up, which raised concerns in Kenya . Early in June 1975, Kenyan officials impounded a large convoy of Soviet -made arms en route to Uganda at the port of Mombasa. Tension between Uganda and Kenya reached its climax in February 1976 when Amin announced that he would investigate the possibility that parts of southern Sudan and western and central Kenya, up to within 32 km of Nairobi, were historically a part of colonial Uganda. The Politics of Kenya|Kenyan Government responded with a stern statement that Kenya would not part with "a single inch of territory".

Amin finally backed down after the Kenyan army deployed troops and armoured personnel carriers along the Kenya-Uganda border. [28] After Amin's death in August 2003, David Owen said that while he was the British Foreign Secretary (1977–1979), he had suggested that Amin be assassinated, but the proposal was seen as outrageous, and rejected. [29] Amin's erratic behavior As the years went on, Amin became increasingly erratic and outspoken. He granted himself a number of grandiose titles, including "King of Scotland" and "Lord of all the Beasts of the Earth and the Fishes of the Sea." [6] Amin styled himself His Excellency, President of Uganda, President President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji, Doctor Idi Amin, [30] VC, [31] Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. [6] Some have suggested that Amin suffered from syphilis, which might explain some of his erratic behavior.

[32] Earlier, in 1971, Amin and Zaire's president Mobutu Sese Seko renamed Lake Albert and Lake Edward to Lake Mobutu and Lake Idi Amin Dada respectively. [33] Many foreign journalists considered him a somewhat comical and eccentric figure. In 1977, Time magazine called him a "killer and clown, big-hearted buffoon and strutting martinet". [34] In 1977, after Britain had broken diplomatic relations with his regime, Amin declared he had beaten the British and conferred on himself the decoration of CBE (Conqueror of the British Empire). Radio Uganda then read out the whole of his new title: "His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal HaDji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, CBE." [3] . Idi Amin became the subject of many rumors and myths, including a widespread rumor that he was a cannibal . Some of the unsubstantiated myths were spread and popularized by the 1980 film, Rise and Fall of Idi Amin.

[35] Deposition and exile By 1978, Amin was facing increasing dissent from within Uganda, his circle of close associates having shrunk significantly. After the killings of Archbishop Luwum and ministers Oryema and Oboth Ofumbi in 1977, several of Amin's ministers defected or fled to exile. [36] Later that year, after Amin's Vice President, General Mustafa Adrisi was injured in a suspicious car accident, troops loyal to him mutinied. Amin sent troops against the mutineers, some of whom had fled across the Tanzanian border. [16] Amin then accused Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere of waging war against Uganda, ordered the invasion of Tanzanian territory, and formally annexed a section of the Kagera Region across the boundary. [16] [18] Nyerere mobilized the Tanzania People's Defence Force and counterattacked, joined by several groups of Ugandan exiles who had united as the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA).

Amin's army retreated steadily, and despite military help from Libya 's Muammar al-Gaddafi, he was forced to flee on April 11, 1979 when Kampala was captured. He fled first to Libya , where sources are divided on whether he remained until December 1979 or early 1980, before finding final asylum in Saudi Arabia . He opened a bank account in Jeddah and resided there, subsisting on a government stipend, on the condition that he indefinitely remain incommunicado. The new Ugandan government chose to keep him exiled, saying that Amin would face war crimes charges if he ever returned. The Saudi motive was to silence him because of the harm they believed he was doing to Islam . [3] In 1989, Amin, who had always held that Uganda needed him, and who never expressed remorse for the crimes of his regime, [37] attempted to return to Uganda, apparently to lead an armed group organized by Col. Juma Oris. He reached Kinshasa , Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo ), before Zairian President Mobutu forced him to return to Saudi Arabia.

Family and associates Wives A polygamist , Idi Amin married at least five wives, three of whom he divorced. He married his first wife, Malyamu in 1966, and his second, Kay, in the same year. The following year he married Nora. In 1972 he announced his marriage to Nalongo Madina. On March 26, 1974 he announced on Radio Uganda that he had divorced Malyamu, Nora, and Kay. [38] [39] Malyamu was arrested in Tororo on the Kenyan border in April 1974, accused of smuggling a bolt of fabric into Kenya. She later moved to London. [38] [40] Kay died on August 13, 1974. She is suspected to have died as her lover Doctor Mbalu Mukasa (who himself committed suicide ) attempted a surgical abortion. Her body was found dismembered. [38] In August 1975, during the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit meeting in Kampala, Amin married Sarah Kyolaba.

Sarah's boyfriend, whom she was living with before she met Amin, vanished and was never heard of again. According to The Monitor, he married a seventh wife a few months before his death in 2003. [40] Children Sources differ widely on the number of children Amin fathered, most stating between 30 and 45. [41] A report in The Monitor (Uganda) says he was survived by 45 children, [40] while another in BBC gives the figure at 54. [42] Taban Amin, Idi Amin's eldest son, was until 2003 the leader of West Nile Bank Front (WBNF), a rebel group opposed to the Government of Yoweri Museveni. In 2005 he was offered amnesty by Museveni, and in 2006 he was appointed as a deputy director general of the Internal Security Organisation. [43] Another of Amin’s sons, Haji Ali Amin, ran for election as chairman of Njeru Town council (i.e., Mayor) in 2002, but was not elected.

[44] In early 2007, the award-winning film The Last King of Scotland, in which Forest Whitaker, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role portraying Idi Amin, prompted one of his sons, Jaffar Amin, to speak out in his father's defense. Jaffar Amin said he was writing a book to counter his father's reputation. [45] Associates Among Amin's closest associates were: Bob Astles, a British-born confidant of Amin, was considered by many to be a malign influence on Amin, and by others as a moderating presence. [46] Isaac Malyamungu, one of the most feared officers in Amin's army. [36] Death On July 20, 2003, one of Idi Amin's wives, Madina, reported that he was near death, and in a coma at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia . She pleaded with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni that he be allowed to return to die in Uganda.

Museveni replied that Amin would have to "answer for his sins the moment he was brought back." [47] Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia on August 16, 2003, and was buried in Ruwais cemetery in Jeddah. [48] Legacy Idi Amin's leadership of Uganda may have begun with popular support as Uganda struggled to realize peace and prosperity as an independent nation after decades of colonial rule. However, the result was far from what anyone hoped for. Most analysts point to Idi Amin's unsuitability to exercise the level of power he achieved. If he was supported, at least initially, by the British authorities it may have been due to a mistaken view that since he had served in the British forces, they could count him as one of themselves. [3] In fact, Amin made it clear from the outset that he wanted to distance himself, and his nation, from the colonial past. Conveniently, however, he blamed Britain for Uganda's economic problems even though Uganda had been independent for nine years when he seized power.

It is true, however, that Britain had left Uganda with almost non-existent political systems and had involved few Africans in governing their own country. Before granting independence, they considered unifying Uganda with Kenya and Tanganyika in a Federacy. Nor did they clarify the position of the traditional King of Buganda in the post-colonial space. Britain, too, made a net profit from its colonial possessions and while she talked about her moral responsibility towards her colonial subjects, she did little to encourage self-determination. She did leave behind educational systems but these taught students how to become European, not to value or to take pride in things African. At one point, Britain had been prepared to hand a large tract of Uganda over to the World Jewish Congress, an offer made in 1906. Yet many, although not all, of Uganda's problems were caused by Amin himself. Expelling the Asians only exacerbated the economic decline. Unfortunately, and for this the British do shoulder a fair share of blame, Africans did not have the necessary skills to replace the departing Asians. Idi Amin's own impoverished upbringing could not resist the "good life" and the good intent with which he began dissolved in an extravagance his country could ill afford.

He saw himself as a leader within what is now the African Union and as a friend of the Palestinians and of oppressed people around the world, hence his virtual co-operation with the PLO hijackers . Portrayal in media Film dramatizations Victory at Entebbe (1976), a TV film about Operation Entebbe. Julius Harris played Amin. Raid on Entebbe (1977), a film depicting the events of Operation Entebbe. Yaphet Kotto played Amin as a charismatic but short-tempered political and military leader. In Mivtsa Yonatan (1977; also known as Operation Thunderbolt), an Israeli film about Operation Entebbe, Jamaican-born British actor Mark Heath played Amin, who in this film is first angered by the Palestinian terrorists whom he later comes to support. Rise and Fall of Idi Amin (1981), a film recreating Idi Amin's atrocities. Amin is played by Kenyan actor Joseph Olita. Mississippi Masala (1991), a film depicting the resettlement of an Indian family after the expulsion of Asians from Uganda by Idi Amin.

Joseph Olita again played Amin in a cameo. The Last King of Scotland (2006), a film adaptation of Giles Foden's 1998 novel of the same name. For his portrayal of Idi Amin in this film, Forest Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor, a BAFTA, the Screen Actors' Guild Award for Best Actor (Drama), and a Golden Globe Documentaries General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait (1974), directed by French filmmaker Barbet Schroeder. Idi Amin: Monster in Disguise (1997), a television documentary directed by Greg Baker. The Man Who Ate His Archbishop's Liver? (2004), a television documentary written, produced and directed by Elizabeth C. Jones for Associated-Rediffusion and Channel 4. The Man Who Stole Uganda (1971), World In Action. Inside Idi Amin's Terror Machine (1979), World In Action. Notes ↑ "Ugandan dictator Idi Amin buried," CNN, August 17, 2003. Retrieved June 12, 2007. References Allen, John.

Idi Amin: History's villains. San Diego, CA: Blackbirch Press, 2004. ISBN 9781567117592 Avirgan, Tony, and Martha Honey. War in Uganda: The Legacy of Idi Amin. Westport, CT: L. Hill, 1982. ISBN 9780882081373 Chomsky, Marvin J. (director) Victory at Entebbe (TV film) Warner Bros, 1976 drama based on the Israeli hostage rescue mission Foden, Giles. The Last King of Scotland. New York, NY: Knopf, 1998. ISBN 9780375403606 An award winning novel and the basis of the film, The Last King of Scotland, directed by Kevin Macdonald, Beverly Hills, CA: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2007. Kyemba, Henry. A State of Blood. Corgi, 1977. ISBN 978-0552105583 Gwyn, David.

Idi Amin: Death-Light of Africa. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, 1977. ISBN 9780316332309 Melady, Thomas Patrick, and Margaret Badum Melady. Idi Amin Dada: Hitler in Africa. Kansas City, MO: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, 1977. ISBN 9780836207835 Orizio, Riccardo, and Avril Bardoni. Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators. New York, NY: Walker, 2003. ISBN 9780802714169 Palmowski, Jan. Dictionary of Contemporary World History: From 1900 to the present day. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 9780198604846 External links Rise to Power - Idi Amin Idi Amin "My mission is to lead the country out of a bad situation of corruption, depression and slavery.

After I rid the country of these vices, I will then organize and supervise a general election of a genuinely democratic civilian government. " -Idi Amin, quoted in "Uganda, the Human Rights Situation" by the United States Senate. (above) Idi Amin, also known as Idi Amin "Dada", was a military dictator and president of the African country of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. This photograph of Idi Amin captures the strong, stern side of his nature. Born without a named father in 1925, he was the subject of controversy in his mother's village. He was raised by his mother, a traditional herbalist, and her family in a Roman Catholic household until he decided to convert to Islam and attend an Islamic school. In 1946, he joined the British colonial military regiment, the King's African Rifles, and quickly rose from an entry-level position as a cook to the highest position that could be held by a black African in the British army, a warrant officer. In 1961, he became one of the first two black commissioned officers in the regiment when he was promoted to lieutenant.

(above) In 1971 Amin, greeted by cheering crowds, seized power in the country of Uganda in a military coup and became a military dictator. He seized power in a military coup from the previous ruler of Uganda, Prime Minister Milton Obote. Within a week, he declared himself president of Uganda. Some of his people loved him as their leader. When he started executing foreign nationals, he distributed their businesses to Ugandans. However, many of the Ugandans didn't know how to run the businesses, and the country soon fell into economic disrepair as shortages of foodstuffs caused widespread poverty and prices of other goods skyrocketed. Idi Amin - the road from a Boxing champion to a dictatorship | DocumentaryTube Idi Amin - the road from a Boxing champion to a dictatorship Idi Amin - the road from a Boxing champion to a dictatorship Stewart Dunlop / published 1 year ago 4,885 People His rule of Uganda, from 1971 to 1979 was characterized by political repression, abuses of human rights, killings, nepotism, corruption, ethnic persecution and much more.

As a result of his regime, an estimated number between 100,000 and 500,000 people were killed Often portrayed as a “monster in disguise”, Idi Amin was the third President of Uganda, one of the most fearsome leaders and dictators in the world. His rule of Uganda, from 1971 to 1979 was characterized by political repression, abuses of human rights, killings, nepotism, corruption, ethnic persecution and much more. As a result of his regime, an estimated number between 100,000 and 500,000 people were killed. But Amin was not always a ruthless dictator. Instead, he was once a boxing legend. Amin died in 2003. IMG-L: Boxing career At 193 cm tall, and with a powerful built, Amin impressed the superiors with his athletic skills and abilities in the Ugandan and British Army. He joined the British army as a private in 1946. Back in the time he was tall, strong, and very athletic. During his time in the army, he mastered and improved his skills, and started boxing.

In 1951, he became the light heavyweight boxing champion, a title he held until 1960. During his boxing career, he was undefeated. Even long after his boxing career was over, Idi Amin was still very much skilful and talented boxer. In 1974, he decided to take on the national boxing coach Peter Seruwagi. He declared that he will open the championship that year by boxing with Seruwagi. As the fight started, Amin ruthlessly attacked the coach, and the fight ended with a knock-out in favor of Amin. The referee stopped the fight in the second round and had to help and save Seruwagi from beating and punishment. How Amin gained control of Uganda In 1966, Amin served as one of the chief commanders in the Army, and very close friend with Prime Minister Milton Obote. They were both incriminated in a scandal with gold smuggling. Following the scandal, Obote suspended the constitution, arrested half of his cabinet and installed himself as president for life. Amin led a military operation to drive King Mutesa away from his palace. Amin is promoted to major general.

In 1969, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Obote, and both he and Amin think the net is closing on them. One of Amin’s rivals in the army, Pierino Okoya is killed in 1970, which deteriorates Amin from Obote. In 1971, Obote plans to arrest Amin, but Idi finds out. While Obote is out of the country in January, Idi Amin stages a coup supported by Israel and the British, accusing Obote of corruption. He takes power, supported by Ugandans, and claims he is not an ambitious man. Instead, Amin claims he is “just a soldier with concern for his country and its people”. He is declared president and chief of the armed forces. Immediately after, Amin executes all officers and troops loyal to Obote, starting his dictatorship and regime. IMG-R: Key dates during his regime - In 1972, Amin starts his quest to make Uganda “black man’s country”. He expels more than 50,000 Asians, mainly Indians and Pakistanis.

He claimed to receive a message from God in his dreams and says he will ask Britain to be responsible for the Asians in Uganda as they are sabotaging the economy of the country. - In September 1972, Amin sends a telegram to the UN Secretary General, praising Hitler. After the letter, the US halts a $3 million loan for the country. - Again in September 1972, supporters of former president Obote attack Uganda from Tanzania. In his style, Amin bombs Tanzanian towns. - Continuing his dispute with international countries and United Nations, President Idi Amin orders more than 100 Peace Corps to leave the country. - In 1974, the president crushes an attempted coup. More than 50 officers in the army were killed as a response. - In June 1976, Flight 139 is hijacked by a Palestine organization and lands in Uganda at Entebbe Airports with 256 hostages. The Palestine Liberation Organization, which is behind the hijacking, demands release of 53 prisoners. Idi Amin backs up and supports the hijackers, which results with Britain breaking diplomatic relations in July.

- In February 1977, the Archbishop of Uganda is killed. Later revelations show that the order came directly from Idi Amin. - On February 1977 Idi Amin “kidnaps” and holds 240 US citizens as hostages. They are released on March, and must leave the country. - In June 1977 Amin is wounded during an assassination attempt. - In March 1979, Idi Amin flees to his homeland, and in April is deposed as president of Uganda, ending his regime. Amin the Cannibal One of the myths linked with Idi Amin is that he was a cannibal. The myth was widely popularized in the movie “Rise and Fall of Idi Amin”, in which the directors wrote the script according to a biography of Joseph Olita, a former Kenyan president. In the movie, there is a scene in which Amin opens a fridge and shows his visitor two heads of former victims. In another scene, during a coroner is doing an autopsy, Amin picks up a scalpel, and then cuts and eats a piece of flesh from the victim.

From Around the Web The documentary follows the members of the Mara Salvatrucha, or commonly known as the MS gang. MS or Mara is a transnational criminal gang that started in Los Angeles, but ha... 166 The Rangers as they call them, are the US military light infantry, special operations unit. The 75th Ranger Regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia, and is compose... 303 Cartel Land is an award winning documentary by director Matthe Heineman. Matthew got the idea after reading an article in the Rolling Stone magazine about the Arizona Border Rec... 758 More than 70 years ago, the United States of America dropped the first atomic bomb. On August 6, 1945, USA dropped a bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, they bombed another Japa... 580 Idi Amin - IMDb IMDb Composer Idi Amin Dada Oumee was born in the rural village of Koboko, Uganda, in 1923, a member of the Kakwa tribe. Raised in the isolated farming country of northwestern Uganda, Amin received a scant education which left him functionally illiterate.

During the Second World War, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the British Army in the East African Rifles ... See full bio » Died: History & Politics — Uganda — Our Africa An unsettled history Idi Amin Idi Amin In this video… Charles talks about Idi Amin, former President of Uganda (1971 – 1979). He was a brutal dictator and many people died during his regime. Uganda’s recent history includes civil war and two brutal dictatorships. In a country with so much beauty and natural wealth, how did this happen? For a start, areas of the north have long been neglected in terms of education, transport links and development. The historical influence of Arab merchants and Catholic and Protestant missionaries also caused Ugandans of different religions to fight for dominance. The British, who took over in the 1890s, favoured the Protestant Bagandans (people of Buganda). This group was given rule of the country, creating resentment elsewhere. After independence from Britain in 1962, grievances caused political meltdown and civil conflict.

Brutal dictators Scapegoats The country’s prosperous Asian community were viewed as a popular target during the reign of Idi Amin. All Asians without Ugandan nationality were ordered to leave. In 1971, an army general called Idi Amin overthrew the struggling government in a military coup. Under his brutal rule, the country suffered a moral and economic collapse. Idi Amin was defeated in 1979 by Milton Obote, the leader Amin had originally ousted. Under Obote’s rule (1979-86), killings by the army continued. While Idi Amin and then Milton Obote were in power, half a million Ugandans died. A new era In 1982, Yoweri Musevni formed a National Resistance Movement (NRM), an army largely made up of orphans and victims of Amin/Obote. The NRM entered Kampala in January 1986 and took charge of the country. A brutal group The violence of the past has not totally disappeared. A guerrilla group called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has terrorised people across northern Uganda and neighbouring countries over the past two decades.

Led by a brutal leader called Joseph Kony, the LRA has killed and abducted tens of thousands of civilians, including many children, and displaced more than 1.5 million people. Mr Musevni appointed a government from across ethnic lines, re-established the rule of law and set up a Human Rights Commission. Foreign investment and tourism were encouraged and Uganda’s economy began to grow. The monarchies of key Ugandan regions were also restored. Yoweri Musevni won a presidential election in 1996 and again in 2001. In 2006, full democracy returned with multi-party elections and Mr Musevni remained president by popular vote. In power for 25 years, President Musevni won a fourth term of office in the February 2011 elections, making him the longest-serving leader in East Africa. Brief history of Uganda’s peoples This part of Africa has been inhabited for millions of years by man's earliest ancestors. Pygmoid people probably moved into the region around 3,000 years ago. These small hunter-gatherers are the ancestors of the Bambuti or Batwa.

Around 200BC, Bantu-speaking people brought iron-age tools and a more settled lifestyle. Over the next thousand years, these people formed small chiefdoms, with larger kingdoms emerging from AD1100. After AD1500, three kingdoms rose up – the Bunyoro, Buganda and Ankole. At first, the Bunyoro was the largest. It had a central structure under a king (omakuma) and a strong trading position, because of its salt mines. But by the late 1700s, the Buganda kingdom and its king (the kabaka) had become established as the major regional power.

Question: Who was president of Uganda from 1971 until 1979
Answer: Idi Amin