President Yoweri Museveni has disclosed a previously untold chapter of the resistance against Idi Amin’s dictatorship, revealing why he turned down a proposal to use foreign mercenaries to assassinate the former ruler.
Speaking at a public event in Jinja on Friday, Museveni said the suggestion was tabled to him during trips to Nairobi and Europe in the 1970s, where well-dressed “educated people” proposed hiring Israelis to eliminate Amin.
“You cannot believe it. These were educated people wearing suits and ties. It is like a sickness,” Museveni remarked, expressing disdain for what he described as a reflection of the lack of confidence in Africans at the time.
Museveni said he rejected the idea outright—not only on moral grounds but also as part of a calculated political strategy aimed at lasting stability.
“First of all, we do not believe in assassinations,” he said. “We shall uproot Idi Amin, lock, stock, and barrel.”
The President explained that his greatest fear was that a sudden assassination could create a dangerous power vacuum, potentially paving the way for another brutal figure such as Brigadier Isaac Maliyamungu, one of Amin’s most feared and ruthless lieutenants.
Attempts On Amin’s Life
Amin’s eight-year rule (1971–1979) was marked by numerous attempts on his life. Opposition groups like the Save Uganda Movement (SUM) attempted guerrilla warfare, bombings, and targeted attacks.
One of the most notable incidents occurred on June 10, 1976, when a grenade was thrown at Amin’s car, killing his driver but leaving the dictator unscathed. Other plots, such as “Operation Mafuta Mingi” in 1977, involved dissident Ugandan soldiers and pilots who sought to topple the regime.
Amin himself often boasted of surviving at least nine assassination attempts, claiming it proved his divine protection.
The Final Overthrow
Ultimately, as Museveni emphasized, Amin’s downfall was not through a covert strike but through military force. The Uganda–Tanzania War of 1978–1979, triggered by Amin’s invasion of Tanzanian territory, led to his crushing defeat at the hands of the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF), backed by Ugandan exiles and liberation forces.
This campaign uprooted Amin’s regime “completely,” forcing him into exile in April 1979—a fulfillment of the long-term strategy Museveni said he believed in, rather than a quick but risky assassination.
WhatsApp/Call: +256 754 137391
