Death of a Dictator
Idi Amin: 1925 - 2003
From respected colonial soldier to brutal butcher of hundreds of thousands of his people, Fred Bridgland in Johannesburg recalls the madness and terror of Uganda’s notorious tyrant Idi Amin Dada, who has died in Saudi Arabia, presided over a decade-long reign of terror in Uganda that encompassed mass murder and torture and left in ruins a country once described by Winston Churchill as the Pearl of Africa.
Throughout the 1970s Amin, a former trainee cook in the King’s African Rifles, was constantly in the spotlight, hurling outlandish insults at world leaders and flaunting his brutal powers.
A Flamboyant Tyrant
If the truth be told, Fleet Street and Scotland’s press initially loved the flamboyant Ugandan tyrant. His buffoonery made good copy. As well as declaring himself Emperor of Uganda and awarding himself the VC (Victorious Cross) and CBE (Conqueror of the British Empire), he also styled himself “the last king of Scotland”. He wore a kilt and tartan forage cap, symbols of a love affair with Scotland that began when Willie Cochrane, pipe major of the King’s African Rifles, taught Amin to play the bagpipes.
When British-Uganda relations were at an all-time low, he proposed marriage to Princess Anne as a way of repairing relations. He asked the Queen to send him “her 25-year-old knickers” in celebration of her silver anniversary on the throne.
The Butcher of Uganda
But it is for his butchery rather than his clowning that Amin must be remembered. While nobody knows how many Ugandans were killed at his behest during his 1971-79 dictatorship, international human rights groups estimate the toll at between 300,000 and 500,000 out of a population of 12 million. He expelled 50,000 Ugandan Asians to Britain and Canada.
Amin’s victims were either shot or bludgeoned to death. Many condemned men were forced to smash the skulls of fellow prisoners with sledgehammers. They, in turn, were similarly dispatched by others lined up behind them.
Nicholas Moore, Reuters chief correspondent in East Africa, was arrested by Amin and shared a blood-caked prison cell with men who were dragged away to be killed in this way nearby. Describing the sound of each execution, Moore said it was “a curious noise, as of an egg being broken”.
A Military Man
Amin was raised through the military ranks by British colonial officers who considered the 6'4" Amin a “good chap” who played rugby, obeyed orders and fought in Burma against the Japanese. He was promoted to sergeant and his commander, Colonel Hugh Rogers, recalled him as “a splendid and reliable soldier, a cheerful and energetic man”.
Amin became one of only two native Ugandans to be commissioned in the pre-independence army. As a King’s African Rifles lieutenant, in early 1962 he was sent on an expedition against the free-ranging, cattle-rustling Karimojong in Uganda’s northeastern “wild lands”. There he was alleged to have castrated eight Karimojong to extract confessions.
The Downfall
Amin was finally overthrown after trying to annex a part of neighbouring Tanzania whose president, Julius Nyerere, he described as a coward, an old woman and a prostitute. Some 45,000 Tanzanian troops counter-invaded and quickly put Amin’s ill-disciplined army to flight. The Tanzanians took Kampala, Uganda’s capital, on April 11, 1979. Amin, a Muslim, fled to Libya before settling in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis provided him, his four wives and children with a house, cars, drivers, cooks, maids and a monthly allowance. In return, the Saudis demanded that their guest stay silent and enter political retirement.
Hotels and Idi Amin
During his time as Uganda's dictator, Idi Amin was notorious for his unpredictable and grotesque behavior. He frequently stayed at luxurious hotels, demanding special treatment and lavish accommodations.
One such hotel was the iconic Kampala Serena Hotel in Uganda's capital, which Amin often used for official functions and meetings with foreign dignitaries. However, his visits to the hotel were not without controversy, as he would often intimidate staff and guests with his erratic behavior.
Another hotel associated with Amin's reign of terror was the Nile Hotel (now known as the Sheraton Kampala Hotel). This prestigious hotel became a hub of Amin's power, with his soldiers stationed around the premises and reports of torture and killings taking place within its walls.
Despite Amin's destructive legacy, both the Kampala Serena Hotel and the Sheraton Kampala Hotel survived his regime and have since been renovated and rebranded. They now offer world-class accommodations and services to visitors from around the globe.
Legacy of Horror
Idi Amin's reign of terror may be over, but his atrocities are still remembered today. The scars left by his brutal regime continue to affect Uganda and its people, reminding the world of the horrors that unfolded under his leadership.
While it is essential to reflect on these dark periods of history, it is also crucial to celebrate the resilience and strength of nations and individuals who have risen above such tyrannies. Uganda, once ravaged by Amin's madness, has made significant strides towards peace, stability, and progress.
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