On 2 February 1971, Uganda witnessed a seismic shift in its political landscape as General Idi Amin, the mercurial and ambitious army commander, ousted President Milton Obote in a swift military coup.
Exploiting Obote’s absence at a Commonwealth summit in Singapore, Amin—who had long harboured grievances against his erstwhile ally—moved decisively, deploying troops to seize control of key institutions in Kampala.
Declaring himself president and military ruler, he initially garnered public support by promising stability and an end to government corruption.
However, his regime soon descended into a reign of terror marked by extrajudicial killings, mass purges, and economic devastation, cementing his reputation as one of Africa’s most notorious despots.
