Idi amin biography timeline

Biography of Idi Amin, Brutal Dictator of Uganda

Idi Amin (c. 1923–August 16, 2003), who became known as the "Butcher of Uganda" for his brutal, despotic rule as the President of Uganda in the 1970s, is perhaps the most notorious of Africa's post-independence dictators. Amin seized power in a military coup in 1971, ruled over Uganda for eight years, and imprisoned or killed at least 100,000 of his opponents. He was ousted in 1979 by Ugandan nationalists, after which he went into exile.

Fast Facts: Idi Amin

  • Known For: Amin was a dictator who served as the president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979.
  • Also Known As: Idi Amin Dada Oumee, "The Butcher of Uganda"
  • Born: c. 1923 in Koboko, Uganda
  • Parents: Andreas Nyabire and Assa Aatte
  • Died: August 16, 2003 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Spouse(s): Malyamu, Kay, Nora, Madina, Sarah Kyolaba
  • Children: Unknown (estimates range from 32 to 54)

Early Life

Idi Amin Dada Oumee was born around 1923 near Koboko, in the West Nile Province of what is now the Republic of Uganda. Deserted by his father at an early age, he

Idi Amin

President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979

Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until his overthrow in 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern world history.[3]

Amin was born to a Kakwa father and Lugbara mother. In 1946, he joined the King's African Rifles (KAR) of the British Colonial Army as a cook. He rose to the rank of lieutenant, taking part in British actions against Somali rebels and then the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya. Uganda gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1962, and Amin remained in the army, rising to the position of deputy army commander in 1964 and being appointed commander two years later. He became aware that Ugandan President Milton Obote was planning to arrest him for misappropriating army funds, so he launched the 1971 Ugandan coup d'état and declared himself president.

During his years in power, Amin shifted from being a pro-Western ruler

Idi Amin: Early Life and Military Career

Idi Amin Dada was born c. 1925 in Koboko, in northwestern Uganda, to a Kakwa father and Lugbara mother, who separated shortly afterwards. In 1946, after receiving only a rudimentary education, Amin joined the King’s African Rifles (KAR), a regiment of the British colonial army, and quickly rose through the ranks. He was deployed to Somalia in 1949 to fight the Shifta rebels and later fought with the British during the suppression of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya (1952-56). In 1959 he attained the rank of effendi—the highest position for a black African soldier within the KAR—and, by 1966, he had been appointed commander of the armed forces.

Did you know? During his time in the army, Amin became the light heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda, a title he held for nine years between 1951 and 1960.

Amin Commandeers Control of Uganda’s Government

After more than 70 years under British rule, Uganda gained its independence on October 9, 1962, and Milton Obote became the nation’s first prime minister. By 1964, Obote had forged an allian

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