UGANDA

“That is when [Obote] started using the military and that is
the genesis of the gun in Uganda’s politics.”
THEMATIC ISSUES
Soon after Independence, the army came to realise the power they had and
the role they could play in Uganda’s system of governance. In early 1964, army
soldiers mutinied against the Government of Obote. Instead of disbanding the
army, as happened in Tanzania, the Ugandan national army was left intact. No
punishments took place. Instead, the army forced the Government to increase
their minimum salary significantly. In the same year, an incident took place in
Nukulabye. In what came to be known as the Nakulabye Massacre the military
had a run-in with innocent civilians and indiscriminately killed people in the area.
Participants perceived a close
connection between political and
military power. Participants
considered the dictatorial
rule by Idi Amin that
followed Obote’s rule
a continuation of this
dynamic. Amin came
to power through
the gun, ruled by
decree and buried
the rule of law and
the Constitution.
It was said that
during this
time, Uganda
completely “lost
track.” Indeed,
Amin’s rule was
followed by one
military coup
after another
and Uganda has
not seen regime
change without
the use of weapons
since. The fact that
regime changes have
always been secured
through military instead
of democratic means might
explain the large number of
insurgencies both against past
regimes and against the current
one.
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