Idi Amin – The Most Divisive African Leader

Idi Amin was forced from power after one of the bloodiest rules in African history.

Idi Amin was the third President of Uganda. He ruled for 8 years, and in that time, he created a legacy that almost everybody has a different opinion on. Amin started as a cook for the colonial King’s African Rifles, before rising through the ranks in the army and taking power from Milton Obote in a coup. Amin began his reign enjoying support from the West, but by 1977, the UK had severed diplomatic ties with his regime, alongside India. Today, we investigate what made Amin so polarising and how his legacy has split opinion on such a huge scale.

Personality

Idi Amin was well known for his eccentric personality. Most notably, he had one of the longest titles for a head of state in history “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.” Alongside this, he claimed himself the uncrowned king of Scotland and boasted about keeping the heads of his political enemies in his freezer. This led to accusations of him being a cannibal; however, he remarked that human flesh was “too salty” for his liking. Given all the evidence, it’s fair to say Amin was an erratic ruler, to say the least.

Diplomatic Relations

Amin also skewed his relationships with several nations during his tenure. His most notorious action was the expulsion of Asians from the country in 1972, declaring them responsible for Uganda’s economic problems. This drew massive international backlash and led India to sever diplomatic ties with Uganda. Similarly, Amin also invaded Tanzania in 1978 to fight against mutineers. He then accused the Tanzanian President of beginning the war, before challenging him to a boxing match to end it. This then resulted in a counter-offensive where the Tanzanian army pushed back until they captured Kampala, resulting in Amin stepping down.

Positive Reputation

Despite the above, some have positive memories of Amin and view him favourably in retrospect. Many believe his successor, Yoweri Museveni, has been hypocritical in trying to erase Amin’s legacy, due to his reliance on military authority to retain power, and his corruption, misuse of public services and police brutality. This has given Amin a reputation as a lesser of two evils when compared to Museveni, according to some. Similarly, some believe Western media exaggerated and falsified their stories about him and that he deserves credit for building a railway service, a national carrier and multiple buildings to house foreign missions in Uganda.

Overall, it’s fair to say Amin has valid reasons for dividing opinion against him. While he may be on par with Museveni or worse, he can’t be excused for tanking Uganda’s international reputation and turning the economy for the worse. Despite being dead for 22 years, however, Amin continues to divide opinion, which speaks to his bold character as a leader, for better or for worse.