As I watched the grand entry of Honourable Idi Amin Taban to Uganda parliament building, as a freshly elected member of parliament. My mind flashed to a topic which I always try to avoid, either reading or discussing. This is a topic which brings memories and emotions; as it reminds me of loved ones who used to praise Amin 24/7. Let me have a simple touch at this self-imposed topic.
How much do we know about Amin apart from the fairytale stories from 70s insurgent Rambos and hollywood blockbusters?
Over the years, his image and legacy has been defrauded by the western mafias and their black agents. During his short tenure in power, his government provided first class education with MUK producing the best medical graduates in Africa; upon their graduation all these medical graduants had to go for further studies in wester Europe or the communist Europe which was Eastern Europe. He built and expanded all inter district road networks. Unemployment especially among the youth was next to zero. Inequality was next to zero. Nepotism was next to zero.
The buildings like Nile Hotel which is now Serena, Uganda International Conference centre where Uganda’s Leopard insults him on a daily basis was built under Amin’s watch in a space of few months, less than a year. The last time entebbe airport was expanded was during Amin’s tanure. He started Uganda Airlines with 9 Boeings airoplanes, before even the Ethiopeans dreamt of Ethiopean airlines.
He started and improved very many government parastatals, only for the Leopard (Museveni) to sell them at cheap to his business associates, in what I may term as bogus privatisation.
For the national army, those who served under his regime shed tears when they remember him. He build all these army barracks that the UPDF is using today, which are now dilapidated due to corruption within the UPDF. A mere corporal was able to afford a great life i.e own a house, a car and his children attending great schools. For a sergeant, they were living a celebrity life style. (A story for next time)……now UPDF soldiers have been reduced to beggars, unless your in Muhoozi’s branch of the army.
Today, his image especially among the young, is that of a brutal killer, human butcher and to some extent a cannibalist. Yes, in later years of his regime excesses where applied to curb a ruthless rebellion. In Amin’s first 4 years of his power, Ugandans would struggle to name an individual who was killed by the state; except Museveni’s marauding mates who attacked Simba barracks in 1972.
We grew up listening to Museveni’s speech….sorry the leopard’s speech, at how he was never ruled by Amin for even a single day, the day he was sworn in, that is the same day he started his subversive activities. By this time, Amin had not been named in any political corruption, political criminality, any killing or even refuse democratic processes. On 25th Jan 1971, When the Leopard started his subversive activities, Amin had just sworn in. What reason(s) did the Leopard have to start undermining the government which hasn’t spend a night?? On this date, was Amin swearing to stay in power for a fifth term?? Just pure thirst for the iron thrown by the young Leopard.
When you read and listen from different quarters; you will find out another narrative, that some of the killings attributed to Amin, where infact carried out by insurgents in order to spread the fear-rumour that Amin is killing people. The Leopard who always taunts Amin’s legacy to the extent of calling him a cold blooded killer, why not call for an independent investigation into the crimes committed under Amin’s regime?? Ugandans deserve to know the truth, other than a one man’s narrative concocted with the help of western agents.
To the twisters of reality and real events, they went further to label him a racist who hated indians…… just bullshit. The man’s general practitioner (family doctor) was an indian up to 1972, his family lawyer was an indian and children went to schools owned by indians. Amin did not just wake up on 4th August 1972 and decide to expel indians. No way!!! He acted on a well revised intelligence information. There were only two options for him, they stay and he looses power or they are expelled and he survives their subversiveness; he chose for the later.
In early 70s, Africa was flooded with different expelled – refugee people. In Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana…etc were flooded with frelimo, ANC, SWAPO,
MPLA and ZANU members who were refugees. But the British government did not send a plane or planes to take them or some of them to Britain as refugees or asylum seekers. But on 4th August 1972, the same day Amin expelled indians, British planes landed at Entebbe airport to take the expelled indians as refugees/stateless members. Why did the British government grant them refugee status with such quickness?? Was it humanitarian? I don’t think so!! There travel to Britain was an MI6 operation rather than the British foreign office arrangement.
Amin was never corrupt at all, let me repeat, the man was never, never and never corrupt. He even shared the little he had with those he had met during his lustrous and humble life. The word embezzlement never existed during his tanure, it was an alien word. From 25 January 1971 to 11 April 1979, the man had achieved more than what others are failing to achieve in 20+ years, other 30+ year of rule. Despite economic embargos being imposed on his government since the late 1972, the economy continued to grow, up to 1978 when the insurgent wars started affecting economic growth.
Really, the best thing the Leopard’s regime can do, is to allow his remains back to Uganda, so that he may be burried at his ancestral home.
