Idi Amin

1530 Words4 Pages

Idi Amin was Uganda’s violent dictator. Killing more than 300,000 innocent people, from children to elderly, he dictated all of Uganda. At an early age, Amin joined an army under, Prime Minister Obate. After Uganda’s independence in 1962, Obate asked the British Government for support in becoming the Prime Minister of Uganda. After becoming Prime Minister of Uganda, King Mutesa II was put in complete charge of a part of Uganda. Soon, Obate began to dictate Uganda, with the help of his army. Of the members of the army, Idi Amin caught his eye, and he was in charge Uganda’s army. Knowing how valuable he was to Obate, he soon took advantage him, becoming the dictator he was known for today. Idi Amin had a ruthless and violent behavior since early in his life, when becoming the dictator he showed even more violence to the people of Uganda. With the help of neighboring countries he was later stopped, and exiled. Estimates for the number of his opponents who were either killed, tortured, or imprisoned vary from 100,000 to half a million. He was ousted in 1979 by Ugandan nationalists, after which he fled into exile.

Born in Koboko County, in 1925, Idi Amin lived with his father and mother. He and his father were a part of the Kakwa tribe. This tribe concluded of about 50,000 members. Although a small tribe, many of the members lived in Congo and South of Sudan. From young age, many people of his tribe were known to have a war-like behavior. When he was still an infant Idi Amin’s mother ran from his father and their home. She later settled with Amin in her home town of Lugbara, in the Sudanese tribe. During Amin’s stay in Lugbara, he and his mother, with the help of Yafesi Yasan, moved into the army barracks of the King’s African Rifles ...

... middle of paper ...

...studied through second grade, he ruled through trust, then fear. He took advantage of Prime Minister Obate’s trust, overthrowing his government and creating his own based on the Military. Idi Amin had a violent behavior since early in his life, when becoming the dictator, he showed even more violence to the people of Uganda. With the help of neighboring countries he was later stopped, and exiled.

Works Cited

Barter, James. Idi Amin. Print.

The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. Web. March & April 2010. .

Dougherty, Steve. Idi Amin. 2010. Print.

Idi Amin Biography. Paralumun New Age Village. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .

Idi Amin. Infoplease. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .

Idi Amin Infosite. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .

More about Idi Amin

Open Document