Uganda Case Study

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

1. What were the challenges to ruling over Uganda? 

  • Obote wanted to make the government central but all the parties that were forced together had opposing ideas

  • the military revolted in wanting higher pay

  • crisis with money deposits and corrupt trading with amin

2. What were some of the undemocratic moves Obote made and why? 

  • turning to amin and the army for a coup d’etat to regain power/keep it

  • “move to the left”

3. Initially, what was the general response to Amin’s new leadership of Uganda?

  • generally positive initially because he assumed a “caretaker” role

4. Describe Amin’s leadership style.

  • military government

  • dictatorship/autocratic

a. What were a few of Amin’s foreign relations debacles? 

  • His abrupt severing of diplomatic ties with many countries, which led to international isolation.

  • Hostile relations with Israel after he expelled the Israeli advisors in the early 1970s.

  • The failed military intervention in Tanzania, which escalated into a full-scale conflict and ultimately resulted in Amin's ousting.

b. How does the African proverb about a dog with a bone apply to Amin’s leadership style? 

  • he was so busy and focused on his army that other aspects of his rule would begin to fail

5. How did Amin’s paranoia get the best of him? What was Uganda left with when Amin finally fled?

  • Amin’s paranoia significantly impacted his leadership, leading him to carry out mass executions and purge his military of those he perceived as threats, particularly targeting Acholi and Langi troops whom he thought were loyal to Obote. His escalating suspicion eroded trust within his government and the military, contributing to the instability of his regime.

  • When Amin finally fled Uganda, the country was left in a state of chaos and devastation, marked by a weakened economy, social unrest, and a fragmented society due to his oppressive rule and violent purges.

INDEPENDENCE: THE EARLY YEARS

  • Buganda

    • under British protectorate rule and left the Kubaka (king) in place

      • prosperous cotton growing region

    • approach to independence

      • UPC-KY: parties forced to cooperate with one another

        • fragile alliance of two fragile political factions and the king’s supporters

      • Milton Obote: responsible for holding this coalition of groups together

        • Goal: create a strong central government despite everyone’s differing interests → threatened to keep the country disunified

    • 1ST CHALLENGE TO OBOTE GOVT.

      • military

        • wanted more pay and promotions

        • Minister of Defense Onama revolted

          • Obote called in British troops to restore order

    • 2ND CHALLENGE

      • Idi Amin Dada

        • rivals to obote questioned amin’s large deposit into his bank acc

          • emerged trading was happening in exchange for arms to intervene in the congo crisis

          • rivals accused the prime minister and his govt of being corrupt and using a secret foregin policy for personal gain

        • “no confidence” vote against Obote by UPC but he took back power using a coup d’etat by the army and amin

  • “Common Man’s Charter” and “move to the left” to consolidate power

    • created GSU

      • still scared for his safety and began to recruit more Acholi and Langi troops

MILITARY RULE UNDER AMIN

  • obote wanted to arrest amin but then amin found out and wanted to strike first

    • initiated mass executions of Acholi and Langi troops thinking they were pro obote

    • amin coup welcomed by buganda kingdom

      • amin took a “caretaker” role until the country could recover sufficiently for civilian rule

      • uganda became governed by a collection of military barracks scattered across the country

    • very strong military government