Idi Amin’s Rule in Uganda
A Term Paper by the Critically Acclaimed Researcher; Connor Arndell.
Although Idi Amin promised to end political corruption, and bring stability to Uganda; during his decade long rule, he did neither. Instead, he destroyed the newly independent country’s economy, and drove Uganda into a state of political disarray. While in office, Amin used Uganda’s budget to live a lavish lifestyle, buying expensive foreign cars for his favorite political associates and building an obscenely large mansion for his family. Amin’s promises of peace were merely facades used to cover up the murders of nearly 500,000 Ugandans.
Idi Amin was born in 1925 in northwest Uganda, near a town called Koboko. Amin took after his father, and decided at a young age to become a devout Muslim. During his service in the military, the British colonial officers considered Amin to be uneducated and unintelligent, however there is evidence that Amin received a religious education up to the 5th grade. There is very little known about Amin’s childhood. He claimed that he helped herd goats and that he plowed fields, to help his family earn money. These claims are not widely accepted as the truth, because Amin would often lie about things if he thought he would be able to do so in a way which would contribute to his popularity. Since a good portion of Uganda’s population at the time Amin took power were primarily poor farmers, supporting Amin would appeal to them much more knowing he had had a childhood similar to theirs.
Uganda was ruled by Britain from 1894 to 1962. The British did not take “total control” of Uganda in the way that they did with some of the other African countries. The chiefs of Uganda’s tribes were very interested in ma...
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...sa. Uganda since independence: a story of unfulfilled hopes. Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press, 1992.
Journals
1. "Fall of Idi Amin." Economic and Political Weekly 14, no. 21 (1979): 907-910. Jstor. Web. (accessed January 22, 2014).
2. Mazrui, Ali. "Between Development and Decay: Anarchy, Tyranny and Progress under Idi Amin." Third World Quarterly 2.1 (1980): 44-58. Jstor. Web. (accessed January 23, 2014).
3. Ekimeeza. "The Rise of Milton Obote in Uganda Politics." Nile Journal N/A (0). http://nilejournal.net/politics/rise-of-milton-obote-in-uganda-politics (accessed February 21, 2014).
Websites
1. A&E Television Networks. "Idi Amin." History.com. http://www.history.com/topics/idi-amin (accessed February 21, 2014).
2. A&E Networks Television. "Idi Amin Biography." Bio.com. http://www.biography.com/people/idi-amin-9183487 (accessed January 26, 2014).
The. Savage, Adebunmi. Tagged “Escape Civil War.” TeenInk. 1 May 2008: 33.
Similarly, the Fanti people of Africa recognized their need for the British authorities by stating, “we do not for one single moment pretend to be able to carry on a Government in the interior without such recognition and assistance” (Document 4).
War-ravaged Sierra Leone had trouble maintaining order, many still unclear what type of government they were living by. For years, the government of Sierra Leone had “made repeated commitments to...
Sharlach, Lisa. “Rape as Genocide: Bangladesh, the Former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda.” New Political Science. 22:1 (2000): 89-102. Google Scholar. Web. 28 April 2014.
During the 17th century, slavery was a widely used commodity with the Europeans, little do people know however that African kings also had and accepted slavery in their own nations. King Nzinga Mbemba of Congo and the King of Ouidah had similarities on the issue of slavery; they tolerated the use of slaves. Congo’s king had no contingency with slavery; in fact, he had slaves in his country. When the Portuguese were purchasing goods in Congo, the king had men “investigate if the mentioned goods are captives or free men” (NZ, 622). The fact that the king differentiates the men between ‘free’ and ‘captives’ illustrates that not all people in Congo are free. Whether these captives are from the country of Congo or not, they are still caught and held all across the nation against their will. King Mbemba kept slaves because the population of Congo was vastly declining due to the slave trade. In his letter, he pleads with the king of Portug...
Raffaele, Paul. "Uganda: The Horror." Smithsonian (Vol. 35, No. 11). Feb. 2005: 90-99. SIRS Issues
"Uganda - African Economic Outlook." African Economic Outlook - Measuring the Pulse of Africa. 06 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. .
A. Adu Boahen's African Perspectives on Colonialism neatly classifies African responses to European colonialism during both phases of invasion and occupation during the 19th century with precise labels according to their nature or time period. However, the reactions can also be loosely grouped into two diametric characterizations: peaceful and violent. Although creating this dichotomy seems a gross generalization and oversimplification of the colonial African experience, it more importantly allows for a different perspective- one that exposes the overwhelming success of the typically peaceful or pacifist reaction in contrast to the little gain and large losses of the violent response.
“The sun never sets on the British Empire,” Great Britain often bragged. By 1914, about 85% of the earth’s surface was colonized by Europe. Between 1884 and 1885, The Berlin Conference took place to carve up the African continent (Background Essay). Europeans saw high potential in Africa and thought the continent was empty, even though it was not. It was roughly “untouched” and they thought they could do anything they wanted (Doc.1). Great Britain’s colonization in Kenya affected the country’s religion and culture, education, and government.
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We are now a decade on from the August 2003 Accra Peace agreement which drew a line under 14 years of civil war and the oppressive dictatorship of Charles Taylor. The peace agreement bought a renewed chance of peace and stability after the atrocities that had been committed across the country. A post-war transitional government was established consisting of 76 members: 12 each from the three warring parties; Government of the Republic of Liberia, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). Other members from the remaining 18 political parties; seven from civil society and s...
The overriding challenge Uganda faces today is the curse of poverty. Poverty, ‘the lack of something”(“Poverty.”), something can be materials, knowledge, or anything one justifies as necessary to living. Associated with poverty is the question of what causes poverty and how to stop poverty? The poverty rate in Uganda has declined from the year 2002 from the year 2009, which shows the percent of residents living in poverty has decreasing. Yet, the year is 2014 and the poverty rate could have drastically changed over the course of five years. One could assume the poverty rate would continue to decrease, which would be astounding and beneficial, but does poverty ever decrease enough to an acceptable level or even nonexistence? Poverty is a complex issue that continues to puzzle people from all across the globe. Poverty could possible be a question that is never truly answered.
Middleton, John. "Rwanda." Africa: an Encyclopedia for Students. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. Print.
Comments: Yoweri Museveni is a corrupt politician who was elected via an illegal campaign and suppresses other rival political parties. He allowed domestic and foreign companies to operate illegally inside Uganda without even a threat of punishment. He oppresses and persecutes homosexual people in Uganda just because of the fact that they are homosexual, uses autocratic rules, and ignores the political oppositions on matters of debate. He is also responsible for killing and stealing the wealth and resources from the Congo, and this has given a very negative reputation and image for Yoweri Museveni.
Smith, R.K. (1996). Understanding third world politics: theories of political change and development. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.