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.

Promotion in the military

After independence in October 1962, Milton Obote, Uganda's first prime minister, rewarded his loyalty by promoting him to captain in 1963 and deputy commander of the army in 1964. In 1965 Obote and Amin were implicated in a deal to smuggle gold, coffee, and ivory out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A parliamentary investigation demanded by President Mutesa (also the Kabaka (King) of Buganda), put Obote on the defensive; he promoted Amin to general and made him chief-of-staff, had five ministers arrested, suspended the 1962 constitution, and declared himself as the new president. In

Related Topics:
October - 1962 - Milton Obote - Prime minister - 1963 - 1964 - 1965 - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Mutesa - Kabaka - Buganda

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1966 Mutesa was forced into exile in Britain where he died in 1969.

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1966 - 1969

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Amin began recruiting members of his own tribe into the army as well as many Muslims from his West Nile area to the northwest of Uganda near the Sudan border. Relations with Obote began to sour. Obote first responded by putting Amin under house arrest, and when this failed to undermine his support, Amin was given a non-executive position in the army.

Related Topics:
Muslim - Sudan

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