In January 1971, General Idi Amin seized power in Uganda after overthrowing the government of President Milton Obote in a military coup. What followed over the next eight years was one of the most brutal and bizarre dictatorships in modern African history. Amin unleashed a reign of terror, oppression and lunacy that devastated Uganda and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
Amin's Early Rise
Amin had risen up through the ranks of the British colonial forces in Uganda during the 1950s and 60s. After independence in 1962, he gained senior command positions in the new Ugandan army under Obote's rule. When Obote was out of the country in 1971, Amin took advantage and launched the coup, surrounding the presidential palace in Kampala with tanks and declaring himself the new ruler.
Initially, some Western powers like Britain and Israel were amenable to Amin's takeover, believing he would align with them during the Cold War. But it quickly became apparent that his regime would be excessively repressive. Any early promises of democracy vanished as Amin established a military dictatorship.
Political Oppression and the Reign of Terror
Amin proceeded to abolish the constitution, parliament, and all civil liberties. Military tribunals replaced the judicial system, leading to arbitrary arrests and executions. The feared State Research Bureau acted as a secret police force, imprisoning and eliminating any real or suspected opponents of the regime. Informants were everywhere, and no one was safe.
It is estimated that over 100,000 people were killed by Amin's forces during his rule. Many more simply "disappeared" after being arrested, never to be seen again. The exact death toll may never be fully known, but some estimates range as high as 500,000. Bodies were often dumped in the Nile River.
The persecution was directed largely at ethnic groups like the Acholi and Langi who were seen as Obote supporters. But educated elites, religious leaders, rival military officers, and others were all targets. Even cabinet ministers who fell from favor could suddenly find themselves executed.
Expulsion of Asians
In 1972, Amin took the drastic step of expelling nearly all of Uganda's population of over 60,000 Asians. Most were Indians whose families had been merchants and traders in Uganda for generations. While partly driven by racial motivations, this also allowed Amin to appropriate their businesses and properties.
The expulsion destroyed Uganda's economy as the Asian community had dominated commerce and industry. Their businesses were handed over to Amin's supporters, who lacked the necessary skills. Industries ground to a halt, shortages of goods multiplied, and inflation soared as the economy began to implode.
Bizarre Behaviour and Unravelling
As Amin's rule continued, his actions and behaviour grew increasingly erratic, extreme and detached from reality. He lived opulently despite the collapsing economy, marrying multiple wives and amassing luxuries. Some experts believe he was suffering from advanced untreated syphilis that led to cognitive decline.
In the mid-1970s, Amin developed strange delusions of grandeur regarding Scotland. He was enamoured with Scottish military traditions after training there during colonial days. Amin formed ties with a fringe Scottish nationalist group, spoke fancifully of becoming "King of Scotland," and once wore a kilt during a visit with foreign dignitaries.
Amin made outlandish diplomatic blunders as well, praising Hitler and congratulating the dictator Idi for the Holocaust in telegrams. Perhaps the most bizarre episode occurred in 1976 when Amin colluded with Palestinian hijackers who took an Air France jet and hostages to Entebbe Airport in Uganda during a high-profile standoff.
Downfall in the Uganda-Tanzania War
As the regime descended into further paranoia, repression and eccentricity, opposition grew both domestically and in neighbouring countries. Obote and exiled Ugandans were launching attacks from Tanzania, which Amin blamed for harbouring them.
Seeking a diversion as his authority weakened, Amin launched an ill-advised war against Tanzania in 1978. But Tanzania mobilized its superior forces and counterattacked in early 1979. Libyans and Palestinians could not save Amin as the Tanzanians invaded Uganda and closed in on Kampala.
With the regime crumbling, Amin finally fled into exile. His eight years of appalling misrule had devastated Uganda, resulting in economic ruin, breakdown of infrastructure, and possibly 300,000 to 500,000 deaths. The country would take years to recover from the havoc and trauma he unleashed. Although Amin lived comfortably in Saudi Arabia until his death in 2003, many believe he should have faced justice for his multitude of crimes and atrocities.
In the end, Idi Amin's reign was not just ruthlessly repressive but unhinged and bizarre. His mixture of cruelty, buffoonery and delusion make him one of the most notorious and eccentric dictators in modern African history. For Uganda, the scars left by his madness and brutality linger to this day.
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