THE MAN WHO UNIFIED DIVIDED KINGDOMS

Table of Contents

MILTON OBOTE

Like many decolonization era political leaders in Africa, Obote trained as a teacher and became a union organizer and then a politician. In 1960 he helped found the Uganda People's Congress, and when Uganda became independent in 1962, he became its first Prime Minister. He was one of the leaders who turned a collection of kingdoms and districts into a single country with one national government. This was a big change, because Uganda's old kingdoms, especially Buganda, had their own power and their own rules.

In 1966 he had the army attack the palace of the Kabaka, the king of Buganda, who was also Uganda's president at the time. The king fled into exile, Obote then took the presidency for himself and ended the kingdoms' role in national politics. In 1967 he introduced a new constitution that gave the president very wide powers. Supporters saw this as a way to build a strong, unified nation. Critics saw it as the start of one-man rule.

In 1969 Obote published the "Common Man's Charter," which promised more state control of the economy. Banks and some big businesses were brought under government ownership, and the state tried to spread wealth to farmers and workers. These ideas were popular with some people, but the economy struggled, and many Ugandans felt the plan was poorly carried out.

In 1971 Idi Amin seized power in a military coup while Obote was away at a Commonwealth meeting. Obote went into exile, first in Tanzania and later elsewhere. He returned to power in 1980 after Amin was removed, but the election that brought him back was widely disputed. Many people believed it was rigged, and opposition groups took up arms.

Obote was overthrown again in 1985 by his own army officers, and he spent the rest of his life largely in exile. He died in South Africa in 2005. However, he had helped build an independent Ugandan state and was a voice for African nationalism during the decolonization era.

365 men who changed the world.

Kamikun John, Author 366 days of wisdom.