As president of Uganda (1971-1979), Idi Amin Dada became notorious for massive violations of human rights, economic decline, and social disintegration. Born between 1925 and 1927 in Koboko, West Nile Province, Amin was brought up by his mother, who abandoned his father to move to Lugazi. Amin accompanied his mother and as he grew up acquired the militaristic qualifications prized by the colonial British at that time: he was tall and strong, spoke the Kiswahili language, and lacked education, ensuring subservience. Enlisting in the army as a private in 1946, Amin impressed his superiors by being a good swimmer, rugby player, and boxer.
During the 1950s and early 1960s, Amin participated in numerous skirmishes, and as he was promoted to lieutenant, he became known for sadistic and ruthless behavior toward his enemies. The British recommended to Ugandan prime minister Apolo Milton Obote that Amin be prosecuted for his flagrant behavior, but Obote instead simply reprimanded Amin. Amin continued to be promoted, rising in the ranks of the Ugandan army after British occupation ended. Amin's prominence in the army increased as he quelled a mutiny in 1964, and he assisted Obote in 1965 by smuggling in goods to pay for arms for a rebellion in the Congo. Amin saw further promotion, eventually reaching the rank of major-general.
By 1968 the relationship between Obote and Amin had gone sour, and after Amin failed to assassinate Obote in 1969, Amin finally overthrew the prime minister in January of 1971. The Ugandan people immediately embraced Amin, as he presented a friendly, charismatic persona. In reality, Amin ruled Uganda by murdering supporters of the opposition and turning on anyone who failed to support him. Amin's overriding policy was to stay in power at any cost. He constantly changed bodyguards, and his multiple wives and more than thirty mistresses gave him numerous locations to hide. Amin is believed to have been responsible for murdering more than 300,000 people while president of Uganda. Amin's savageness extended to tribal genocide, widespread use of torture, and cannibalism.
Amin kept his army happy by lavishing luxury goods on them, including whisky, tape recorders, expensive cars, rapid promotions, and lucrative businesses taken from Asian traders. With most national funds devoted to the armed forces, though, education, health, transport, food and cash-crop production, industrial and manufacturing sectors, and foreign investments suffered. Despite assistance from other nations and individuals in both Africa and the West, Amin's luck slowly ran out. Amin's illiteracy and incompetence led to numerous pressures from both in and outside of Uganda, which in turn led to an overthrow of Amin in April of 1979. Amin fled to Libya, later Saudi Arabia, and then to Bahrain.
Recent Updates
August 16, 2003: Amin dies on August 16, 2003, in Saudi Arabia, after suffering from kidney failure and slipping into a coma. Ugandan officials say he was 80, although his birth year is also listed as 1925. Source: CNN.com, www.cnn.com, August 18, 2003; New York Times, August 17, 2003, p. A32.
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