Idi Amin

Idi Amin Dada Oumee (c. 1925 Koboko, Uganda, – August 16 2003, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) was an army officer and President of Uganda (1971 to 1979) whose regime was notorious for its brutality.

Early life and career

Amin was born in the Kakwa tribe in Koboko. He was deserted by his father at an early age and brought up in Buganda by his mother, who claimed to be a sorceress. He received little formal education.

Related Topics:
Kakwa - Koboko - Buganda - Sorceress

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Amin joined the King's African Rifles of the British colonial army as a private in 1946, rising to the rank of lieutenant after seeing action during the Mau Mau revolt in Kenya. He was considered a skilled, but somewhat overeager soldier, and developed a reputation for cruelty. He rose through the ranks, reaching sergeant-major before being made an effendi, the highest rank possible for a Black African in the British army. Amin was also an accomplished sportsman. Besides being a champion swimmer he held Uganda's light heavyweight boxing championship from 1951 to 1960.

Related Topics:
King's African Rifles - British - 1946 - Mau Mau - Kenya - Effendi - Black African - Sportsman - Swimmer - Light heavyweight - Boxing - 1951 - 1960

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was assessed by his commanding officers as"a splendid type and a good rugby player". Although they also stated that he was "not very bright and will probably find difficulty in dealing with the administrative side of command" and was "virtually bone from the neck up, and needs things explained in words of one letter".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~