The Butcher of Uganda

On 25 January 1971, Idi Amin seized power in Uganda.  

Amin’s rise through the ranks of the British Colonial Military had been meteoric, and his speedy journey through the Ugandan ranks was no less so.  Within five years of independence he was head of the army.  Within ten, the head of the military. 

From there it was a short jump to head of the nation of Uganda; as Amin styled himself: His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.

Idi Amin’s rule was nothing short of horrific, with an estimated 500,000 people murdered on his orders and many more tortured or expelled. Unbridled aggressiveness to neighboring nations, racism, and direct support for terrorism were the hallmarks of his reign, although he would have those in Uganda devoted to his memory for years after he was toppled from power.  Unlike most despots, Amin died peacefully in a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

To read more about Idi Amin and Uganda, please click here.