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129-473: In 1982, in the Ugandan Civil War , Milton Obote 's soldiers raided their village, from Kampala . Luweero is approximately 62 kilometres (39 mi), by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city, on the highway to Masindi . The road is a busy, all-weather tarmac highway. The coordinates of the town are 0°49'59.0"N, 32°29'58.0"E (Latitude:0.833056; Longitude:32.499444). Luweero

258-518: A purge to occur while he was outside of the country. As Amin was popular in sections of the military, his loyalists responded by acting first and overthrowing the government, forcing Obote into exile in Tanzania . Despite initial popularity, Amin quickly turned to despotism and established a military dictatorship which accelerated the decline of Obote's regime, destroying the country's economy and political system. As time went on, Amin's regime

387-485: A Parliamentary majority and Obote became prime minister in 1962. He assumed the post on 25 April 1962, appointed by Sir Walter Coutts , then Governor-General of Uganda . The following year the position of governor-general was replaced by a ceremonial presidency to be elected by the parliament. Mutesa, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda, became the ceremonial president, with Obote as executive prime minister. In January 1964,

516-455: A TPDF unit responded to the attack. The Tanzanian forces consequently conducted a counter-insurgency sweep, catching a PRA column under Elly Tumwine off-guard and recapturing some of the captured guns. Despite this, the PRA successfully recruited more volunteers, growing to about 200 fighters by early May. In the next month, Museveni travelled to Nairobi where he met with Lule; the two agreed to unite

645-684: A campaign which largely destroyed or seized the Karamojong's food sources in the form of cattle and fields. This left the nomads almost totally dependent on international aid agencies like the World Food Programme and UNICEF for survival. However, the unrest in the UNLA eventually escalated when Acholi troops mutinied in Jinja and other locations in June 1985. Rifts subsequently erupted in

774-769: A comfortable beach house close to Nyerere's private residence; Tanzanian officials initially continued to call him "President", and later " Mzee ". Despite his rare public appearances and public restraint, Obote vigorously plotted to overthrow Amin: He set up a small rebel force of 100 guerrillas which occasionally launched raids from Kenya into Uganda, and created his own "navy" of six boats which smuggled coffee on Lake Victoria to finance political and militant activities. The navy also built up an underground network in Uganda. These operations were entrusted to some of his most trusted followers such as David Oyite-Ojok . Obote hoped to gradually undermine Amin's regime until being able to launch

903-587: A construction worker at an engineering firm. While in Kenya, Obote became involved in the national independence movement. Upon returning to Uganda in 1956, he joined the political party Uganda National Congress (UNC), and was elected to the colonial Legislative Council in 1957. In 1959, the UNC split into two factions, with one faction under the leadership of Obote merging with the Uganda People's Union to form

1032-494: A decisive offensive. In August 1985, the NRA launched a series of coordinated attacks that resulted in the capture of significant amounts of territory in central and western Uganda. It besieged and captured the crucial garrison towns of Masaka and Mbarara, greatly weakening the UNLA. In course of these operations, the NRA greatly expanded by recruiting new troops in captured territories and absorbing defected government soldiers. In

1161-601: A famine in Karamojong Province which killed 50,000 out of the 360,000 inhabintants of the northeastern highlands. The first group to initiate hostilities were the Amin loyalists who launched a rebellion against the UNLF government in the autumn of 1980. Their 7,100-strong force never adopted an official name, but is generally called "Uganda Army" as it consisted for the most part of old troops of Amin's Uganda Army (it

1290-601: A few machine guns and land mines being provided to the NRA in August 1981. Gaddafi demanded that the NRA merge with the UFM and UNRF to receive more substantial support, but the rebels remained rivals and refused to unite. Libya consequently cancelled its support to the NRA in 1982. While the rebellion in the south grew in intensity, most of the West Nile region remained under rebel control. A local administration began to emerge, and

1419-431: A few months, it enlisted around 9,000 fighters, growing to about 10,000 troops overall by December 1985. That month, a peace agreement was signed by Okello's government and the NRA, but the deal broke down almost immediately as both parties violated the agreed truce. By January 1986, the UNLA was starting to collapse as the rebels gained ground from the south and southwest. Okello's regime effectively ended when Kampala

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1548-523: A general uprising with support by the exiles in Tanzania. However, the efforts of his rebel network produced few tangible results, as his movement was unable to assassinate important followers of Amin and lacked support among most Ugandans. In fact, Obote remained deeply unpopular in much of Uganda, and even those opposed to Amin did not want to see him return to power. In 1979, Idi Amin was ousted by Tanzanian forces aided by Ugandan exiles. By 1980, Uganda

1677-470: A guerilla war with the Sudanese government. The Obote government withdrew support for the rebels and arrested a German mercenary called Steiner and extradited him to Sudan for trial. The Israeli government was unhappy with these events. In January 1971, Obote was overthrown by the army while on a visit to Singapore to attend a Commonwealth conference , and Amin became president. In the two years before

1806-692: A hospital in Johannesburg , South Africa at the age of 79. Milton Obote was given a state funeral , attended by President Museveni, in the Ugandan capital Kampala in October 2005, to the surprise and appreciation of many Ugandans because he and Museveni had been bitter rivals. Other groups, such as the Baganda survivors of the Luweero Triangle massacres, were bitter that Obote was given

1935-498: A lack of proper pay and supplies. Although the Ugandan government knew that it could not even feed its large army, let alone properly train or arm it, Obote was unwilling to demobilize troops out of fear that the soldiers could behave even worse if they were no longer employed. Despite its massive military and militia support, the government was also unable to fully suppress violence in the northeast, where Karamojong raiders continued to operate. Obote's forces were at least able to contain

2064-456: A large-scale attack across the border against the West Nile sub-region . On 6 October, one week before the offensive was to commence, about 500 rebels crossed the border and attacked the town of Koboko . The 200-strong UNLA garrison was on parade at the time and was unarmed; the rebels massacred the soldiers. Word of the attack spread to other UNLA garrisons in West Nile, who quickly fled to

2193-477: A military coup d'état by Idi Amin in 1971, settling in exile in Tanzania , but was re-elected in an election reported to be neither free nor fair in 1980, a year after Amin's 1979 overthrow. His second period of rule ended after a long and bloody conflict known as the Ugandan Bush War during which he was overthrown a second time by another coup d'état in 1985 led by Tito Okello , prompting him to live

2322-586: A mutiny occurred at the military barracks at Jinja , Uganda's second city and home to the 1st Battalion of the Uganda Army . There were similar mutinies in two other eastern African states; all three countries requested the support of troops from the British military. Before they arrived, however, Obote sent his defence minister Felix Onama to negotiate with the mutineers. Onama was held hostage, and agreed to many demands, including significant pay increases for

2451-558: A new government with Museveni as president, while the UNLA fully disintegrated in March 1986. Obote and Okello went into exile. Despite the nominal end of the civil war, numerous anti-NRA rebel factions and militias remained active, and would continue to fight Museveni's government in the next decades. The Ugandan Bush War is also known by a variety of other names. For instance, Ugandan Civil War has also been used, though this title as also been employed for other military conflicts such as

2580-553: A proper base. Museveni was familiar with guerrilla warfare , having fought with the Mozambican Liberation Front in Mozambique. He also had commanded his own Front for National Salvation to fight the Amin regime and had continued to campaign in rural areas hostile to Obote's government, especially central and western Buganda and in the western regions of Ankole and Bunyoro . As a result, he employed

2709-500: A rebel army, and moved to Sudan. However, Obote's exile efforts were hampered by his lack of support among Ugandans, as many other opposition groups—both leftists and conservatives—were more willing to support Amin than offer him any aid. Even part of the UPC had decided to split from him. There were also considerable ethnic tensions as well as personal rivalries in Obote's camps, undermining

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2838-559: A result of the Ugandan Bush War. Overall, Obote's regime proved to be even more brutal and killed more people than Amin's. The NRM's rise to power was initially met by a large portion of Ugandan's population with trepidation and confusion. Most knew little of the NRM, and it was feared that the new government might prove equally incapable and unstable as the previous regimes. After a few months, however, many Ugandans began to view

2967-493: A rifle, including women and girls, was armed and provided with an ad hoc training. Meanwhile, the NRA continued its offensive, capturing Jinja by late January, followed by Tororo in early February. At this point, the UNLA attempted one last time to stem the rebel advance. It counter-attacked at Tororo, but was repelled. The NRA proceeded to assault the fortified crossings of the Nile, encountering particularly heavy resistance by

3096-541: A series of operations, he managed to mostly oust the NRA from the region, forcing it to retreat west into the Rwenzori Mountains and Zaire. In addition, the Ugandan government decided "to teach the Karamojong a lesson" after raiders had taken advantage of Oyite-Ojok's death to attack his farm and kill over 100 militiamen in the northeast. In cooperation with the Kenyan government, UNLA and allied militias launched

3225-497: A series of purges. Still, Obote refused to give up, and moved to Tanzania where he received much more support. Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere had close ties with Obote and had supported his socialist orientation. The Tanzanian and Somali governments initially planned to help Obote regain power by invading Uganda through the Kagera Salient . This project was never implemented, as Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai informed

3354-544: A significant role in shaping Uganda's political landscape. It contributed to the rise of Idi Amin, who later seized power in a military coup in 1971. Furthermore, it had long-lasting implications for the relationship between the central government and traditional institutions in Uganda. On 19 December 1969, there was an assassination attempt against Obote. As he was leaving the UPC annual delegates' conference at Lugogo Indoor Stadium in Kampala, Mohamed Sebaduka fired one shot at

3483-478: A significant stock of weaponry to the NRA, further weakening the UFM. Fighting in the West Nile region occasionally spilled over into Sudan as UNLA troops pursued rebels over the border. This first occurred in April 1982, when UNLA troops crossed the frontier near Nimule and opened fire on a Sudanese Army unit; the Sudanese troops subsequently detained about 20 Ugandan soldiers. In contrast to other belligerents in

3612-473: A subject not taught at the university, Obote took a general arts course, including English and geography. At Makerere, Obote honed his natural oratorical skills; he may have been expelled for participating in a student strike, or alternatively left after a place to study law abroad was not funded by the protectorate government. He worked in Buganda in southern Uganda before moving to Kenya , where he worked as

3741-472: A symbol for mystical military power in northern Uganda. As result, rebel groups such as the Holy Spirit Movement went on to claim that they were aided by North Korean spirits in their war against Museveni's government. The ranks of the UNLA included many ethnic Acholi and Langi, who had themselves been the victims of Idi Amin's genocidal purges in northern Uganda. Despite this, like Amin,

3870-551: Is one of several municipalities in Luweero District. The population of the town of Luweero was estimated at 23,500 during the 2002 national census. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population at approximately 28,800. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 29,500. During the national population census of 2014, the population was enumerated at 42,734. In 2015, UBOS estimated

3999-414: The 1964 Ugandan lost counties referendum and later getting implicated in a gold smuggling scandal , Obote overthrew him in 1966 and declared himself president, establishing a dictatorial regime with the UPC as the sole official party in 1969. As president, Obote implemented ostensibly socialist policies , under which the country suffered from severe corruption and food shortages. He was overthrown in

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4128-668: The Busoga College and Makerere University . In 1956, he joined the Uganda National Congress (UNC) and later split away by founding the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) in 1960. After Uganda gained independence from British colonial rule in 1962, Obote was sworn in as prime minister in a coalition with the Kabaka Yekka , whose leader Mutesa II was named president. Due to a rift with Mutesa over

4257-521: The Democratic Party —the leading opposition party—accusing former prime minister Benedicto Kiwanuka of orchestrating the plot. In the aftermath of the attempt, all opposition political parties were banned, leaving Obote as an effectively supreme leader. A state of emergency was in force for much of the time and many political opponents were jailed without trial for life. Obote's regime terrorised, harassed, and tortured people. His secret police,

4386-467: The Konjo and Amba peoples . The movement had been largely dormant since the 1960s, but managed to take control of weapon stockpiles that had been left unguarded when Amin's government collapsed in 1979. They thus resumed their insurgency, and the security situation in the mountainous border areas of the southwest quickly deteriorated in 1980. Meanwhile, the UNLF government experienced its own divisions. As

4515-587: The Lord's Resistance Army insurgency . As a result of the eventual victory of the NRM, several alternate titles for the 1980–1986 conflict reference the rebel group and its main theater of operations, the Luwero Triangle : These include Luwero War , National Resistance Movement revolution , or Resistance War . In 1971, the President of Uganda Milton Obote was overthrown in a coup d'état by parts of

4644-489: The Luweero Triangle . After his second removal from power, Obote fled to Kenya and later to Zambia . For some years, it was rumoured that he would return to Ugandan politics. In August 2005, however, he announced his intention to step down as leader of the UPC. In September 2005, it was reported that Obote would return to Uganda before the end of the year. On 10 October 2005, Obote died of kidney failure in

4773-776: The Popular Resistance Army (PRA), Yusuf Lule formed the Uganda Freedom Fighters (UFF), Andrew Kayiira armed his Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM), and the Communist " Gang of Four " organized an armed group known as the Uganda National Liberation Front – Anti-Dictatorship (UNLF-AD). On 6 February 1981, hostilities began in the south with a PRA attack on the Kabamba Military Barracks in

4902-477: The Uganda Army which put Idi Amin in power. Obote had been president since Uganda's independence from the United Kingdom in 1962, and his regime saw a general decline in living standards in the country, with growing corruption, factional violence, and persecution of ethnic groups. Obote's increasing unpopularity led him to believe rivals were beginning to plot against him, particularly Amin and arranged

5031-597: The Uganda People's Congress (UPC). Obote represented the UPC at the Ugandan Constitutional Conference , held at Lancaster House in 1961, alongside fellow Ugandan politician A. G. Mehta . The Conference was organised by the British Government to pave the way for Ugandan independence. In the runup to independence elections, Obote formed a coalition with the Buganda royalist party, Kabaka Yekka . The two parties controlled

5160-495: The 196 North Korean military advisers to the UNLA were flown out of Uganda. Regardless, Okello's government was successful in opening negotiations with several rebel groups, arguing that Obote – their common enemy – had been overthrown. The government reached an agreement with the FUNA, UNRF (I), FEDEMU, and the reactivated UFM. These rebel groups agreed to join a new National Unity government, officially integrated their militias into

5289-517: The Acholi had been marginalized by Amin. The Karamojong ex-UNLA soldiers also took large quantities of weaponry to their home territories after the collapse of Okello's regime, subsequently increasing their raids in scale and numbers. This general unrest contributed to the return of open war to northern Uganda . Over time, the NRM-led government would face more rebellions than both the Amin as well as

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5418-490: The Central Brigade which mostly fought the NRA mostly consisted of barely-trained militiamen. These troops were considered to be "cannon-fodder" by their own commanders. The counter-insurgency operations against the West Nile rebels were thus much more successful than those against the NRA. Overall, the UNLA already showed signs of great strain at this point, and would have probably collapsed without Tanzanian support by

5547-574: The General Service Unit, led by Obote's cousin, was responsible for many cruelties. In 1969–70, Obote published a series of pamphlets that were supposed to outline his political and economic policy. The Common Man's Charter was a summary of his approach to socialism, which became known as the Move to the Left . The government took over a 60% share in major private corporations and banks in

5676-611: The Kabalega Unit operating near Kiwoko , and the Nkrumah Unit operating in the areas of Ssingo. Many of the early members of the PRA like Rwigyema and Paul Kagame were actually Rwandan refugees living in Uganda. They later organized the Rwandan Patriotic Front . In contrast to Museveni's forces and the West Nile rebels, Andrew Kayira's UFM mostly consisted of relatively well-trained ex-soldiers and

5805-635: The Karamojong cattle raiding, keeping the raiders out of other regions. The situation began to change with Oyite-Ojok's death under suspicious circumstances in a plane crash in December 1983. At first, people believed that the chief of staff had been killed by rebels who consequently assumed responsibility. Oyite-Ojok's loyal troops, most importantly the People's Militia and National Youth Army responded by carrying out revenge killings against suspected rebel supporters. After one week, however, rumours spread among

5934-521: The Luwero Triangle belonged to the Acholi people who became widely hated by the southerners. On 16 June 1983, the Obote government launched Operation Bonanza , an extensive military expedition utilizing up to half of the UNLA forces, that alone claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced a significant portion of the population. The operation was intended to be, as Amaza writes, a "typical encirclement and suppression campaign". The blame for

6063-507: The NRA massacred civilians, though NRA leaders denied this. Milton Obote Prime Minister of Uganda (1962–1966) 2nd President of Uganda (1966-1971) First Exile (1972–1979) Second Presidency (1980–1985) Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan politician who served as the second prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and the second president of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and later from 1980 to 1985. A Lango , Obote studied at

6192-631: The NRM with approval, as the party actually succeeded in improving stability and restoring order throughout many parts of Uganda. Regardless, Museveni's government quickly faced significant armed opposition. In fact, the NRA had formally won the civil war, but fighting had not stopped in the north. Various anti-NRA rebel groups and remnants of UNLA remained active, with major insurgencies affecting Acholiland and West Nile in particular. The UNLA's Acholi soldiers had never been disarmed, and many had grown accustomed to their lives as soldiers. They were no longer willing to live as peasants, and were dissatisfied with

6321-588: The Nile River, leaving the Uganda Army's advance unopposed. They were welcomed by the local population, which had tense relations with the UNLA. As the rebels knew that they could not hold the captured territory against a full UNLA counter-offensive, they mostly retreated back into Sudan after a few days with a large amount of loot. The UNLA began its counterattack on 12 October accompanied by Tanzanian forces. The only significant resistance they encountered

6450-553: The Obote regimes, yet survived all of them. Milton Obote never returned to Uganda following his second overthrow and exile, despite repeated rumors he planned to return to Ugandan politics. Obote resigned as leader of the Ugandan Peoples Congress and was succeeded by his wife, Miria Obote, shortly before his death on 10 October 2005 in South Africa . Tito Okello remained in exile in Kenya until 1993, when he

6579-541: The PRA and UFF into a unified opposition group. The umbrella organization was dubbed the " National Resistance Movement " (NRM) and its armed wing was termed the " National Resistance Army " (NRA). Lule was appointed overall NRM Chairman, while Museveni became vice-chairman of the National Resistance Council and Chairman of the High Command of the NRA. The merger profited both sides: The UFF

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6708-580: The Red Cross has estimated that by July 1985, the Obote regime had been responsible for more than 300,000 civilian deaths across Uganda. The NRA also committed atrocities, as land mines were used against civilians, and child soldiers were widespread in the NRA's ranks, and continued to be after the NRA had become the regular Ugandan army. In the early stages of the war the NRA also executed some government-aligned chiefs and directed its civilian supporters to murder UPC activists. UPC members alleged that

6837-607: The UNLA and allied West Nile militias at Karuma and Kamdini . After bitter fighting, the NRA overcame the UNLA's defenses, inflicting "catastrophic losses" on the Acholi troops. With effective resistance no longer possible, the UNLA disintegrated and its remnants fled into exile, along with many former government officials. The NRA captured Gulu and Kitgum in March 1986, while the defeated Acholi soldiers mostly returned to their villages. The war appeared to be over. It has been estimated that approximately 100,000 to 500,000 people, including combatants and civilians, died across Uganda as

6966-627: The UNLA by recruiting large numbers of Karamojong, even though this meant potentially arming cattle raiders. In addition, Okello's government suffered from a lack of respect among the country's elite, as most of its members were uneducated and considered ill-prepared to actually rule Uganda. In contrast to the other insurgents, the NRA refused to compromise with Okello's regime out of ideological reasons. It only agreed to peace talks in Nairobi after international pressure, but never intended to honor any ceasefire or power-sharing deal. Taking advantage of

7095-525: The UNLA had retaken much of West Nile while encountering little resistance. Thousands of civilians fled to Sudan in response to the UNLA offensive. However, the UNLA failed to permanently dislodge the West Nile insurgents. In contrast, Obote opted for a more conciliatory approach with the Rwenzururu movement. Following negotiations, the Ugandan government signed a peace agreement with the rebel group's leadership in return for payments and other benefits to

7224-467: The UNLA under Obote targeted and abused civilians. These abuses included the forced removal of 750,000 civilians from the area of the then Luweero District , including present-day Kiboga , Kyankwanzi , Nakaseke , and others. They were moved into refugee camps controlled by the military. Many civilians outside the camps, in what came to be known as the " Luweero triangle ", were continuously abused as "guerrilla sympathizers". The International Committee of

7353-468: The UNLA was being transformed from a loose alliance of various anti-Amin insurgent groups into a regular army, the different political factions attempted to ensure that their own loyalists would be present and dominant in the new military. Obote outmaneuvered his rivals, most importantly Yoweri Museveni , and made his 5,000-strong Kikosi Maalum group the core of the UNLA. In contrast, just 4,000 out of Museveni's 9,000 FRONASA fighters were allowed to join

7482-445: The UNLA. The "People's Militia" consisted of Langi , Acholi and Teso tribesmen, and was mostly loyal to UNLA chief of staff David Oyite-Ojok . It became increasingly powerful, and garnered a reputation as a fierce and brutal force. In addition, there was the "National Youth Army" (NYA), various tribal militias, and the UPC youth paramilitaries. Meanwhile, the conflict in the south became more serious. Another rebel group emerged,

7611-404: The UNLA. The new Acholi leadership promptly began to use their new power to disempower and exploit other ethnic groups including Langi, resulting in the collapse of discipline and order among many military units. From then on, the UNLA gradually devolved into "marauding bands" and declined in numbers to about 15,000 troops by late 1985. Some commanders such as Ogole fled into exile. On 23 August,

7740-639: The UNLA; Obote maintained that only about 170 were present in Uganda. According to one study, the North Korean officers actively participated in and even led counter-insurgency operations for Obote. A Central Intelligence Agency report stated, however, that the North Koreans refused to actually venture to the frontlines. The Ugandan military also sent some officers and non-commissioned officer to North Korea for advanced trainings. Obote's government also organized various paramilitary groups to assist

7869-404: The UPC's opposition believed that the elections were rigged, which led to a guerrilla war by Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) and several other military groups. Obote held the additional title of Minister of Finance . In 1983, the Obote government launched Operation Bonanza, a military expedition that claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced a significant portion of

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7998-575: The Ugandan armed forces. When the Parliament demanded an investigation of Obote and the ousting of Amin, he suspended the constitution and declared himself President in March 1966, allocating to himself almost unlimited power under state of emergency rulings. Several members of his cabinet , who were leaders of rival factions in the party, were arrested and detained without charge. Obote responded with an armed attack upon Mutesa's palace , which ended with Mutesa fleeing to exile. In 1967, Obote's power

8127-497: The West Nile and Sudan. Using these troops, he conquered Lira , and then marched on Kampala. The capital fell after a short battle in July 1985, but Obote had already fled to Tanzania. He later relocated to Kenya and finally Zambia . After the successful coup, General Tito Okello was installed as president; this marked the first time in Uganda's history when Acholi had achieved state power. The coup had catastrophic consequences for

8256-510: The West Nile rebels. Ogole's tactics proved highly successful, and ousted most insurgents from the West Nile Region within months. Rebel leader Barnabas Kili was also captured. However, the operation also included widespread destruction and massacres at the hands of the UNLA, whereupon 260,000 people fled the area for Zaire and Sudan. This in turn destroyed the "insurgent infrastructure" of UNRF and FUNA, further weakening them. The UNRF

8385-453: The aid of white mercenaries for this plot, but his plans fell through and were revealed when he was unable to pay for the operation. The entire plot discredited Binaisa. In December 1982, John Charles Ogole was appointed new commander of the UNLA's 11th Battalion in Arua. Ogole reorganized his troops, strengthened morale and discipline, and then launched another counter-insurgency campaign against

8514-820: The area, the Sudanese Army garrisons in south-eastern Sudan were generally well-disciplined and refrained from attacking civilians. By November 1982, the National Resistance Army, Uganda Freedom Movement, Uganda National Rescue Front, and the Nile Regiment had formed an alliance, called the "Uganda Popular Front" (UPF). Exiled politician Godfrey Binaisa was appointed head of the UPF. While being based in London , Binaisa decided to organize an invasion from Zaire to topple Obote. He attempted to enlist

8643-476: The army's undisciplined elements tarnished the reputation of Museveni's government. Rumours began to spread that the government was planning to kill all male Acholi. Many Acholi feared that the NRA sought revenge for the mass murders in the Luwero Triangle during the Bush War. In fact, many southerners blamed not just the violence of the Bush War on the Acholi, but even the brutal regime of Idi Amin – even though

8772-401: The army, and the rapid promotion of many officers, including the future president Idi Amin . In 1965, Kenyans had been barred from leadership positions within the government, and this was followed by the removal of Kenyans en masse from Uganda in 1969, under Obote's guidance. As prime minister, Obote was implicated in a gold smuggling plot , together with Idi Amin, then deputy commander of

8901-441: The central Mubende District . The attack aimed at capturing weaponry; although the operation failed to capture the armoury, Museveni's group of fighters managed to take a few guns and several vehicles before retreating. The PRA had more success during a series of attacks on police stations during the next days. Regardless, the small rebel group also came under pressure from UNLA and TPDF counter-insurgency operations, and still lacked

9030-400: The chaos following Obote's fall, the NRA took full control of the Luwero Triangle as well as much of Uganda's west and south. It also received fresh weapons shipments from Libya and Tanzania. Museveni's group was thus in a position of strength, and used the Nairobi peace talks to stall for time. It even ostensibly agreed to a power-sharing deal. In truth, however, the NRA prepared its force for

9159-399: The country in 1970. During Obote's regime, flagrant and widespread corruption emerged in the name of his version of "socialism". Food shortages sent prices through the ceiling. Obote's persecution of Indian traders contributed to this rise in prices. The Israeli government was training the Ugandan police and military and providing arms to the Anyanya in Southern Sudan who were engaged in

9288-448: The country in late 1981 and signed a cooperation agreement which included military support for his regime. At least 30 North Korean officers were subsequently sent to Gulu in northern Uganda, where they trained UNLA soldiers and repaired military equipment. By 1984, the number had risen to about 50 North Koreans who acted as security, intelligence, and military advisors. Museveni claimed that over 700 North Koreans were ultimately used by

9417-626: The country. These advisors remained of crucial importance for the UNLA, but the Tanzanian withdrawal greatly weakened Obote's position. To compensate, he tried to enlist further foreign aid: He hired a British private military company , and convinced the Commonwealth of Nations as well as the United States to send small teams of security advisors. One of Obote's most important allies was North Korea . The Ugandan President visited

9546-401: The country. With him gone, the UNLA began to unravel. An increasing number of Acholi soldiers believed that Obote was using them as cannon-fodder, while filling the country's leadership with Langi. At the same time, the NRA became more successful at spreading its propaganda, and attracting dissatisfied Acholi army officers to their cause. Foreign support for Obote had also diminished. Besides

9675-516: The coup Obote's relations with the West had become strained. Some have suggested that Western Governments were at least aware of, and may have aided, the coup. The Israeli government certainly played an active role in planning and implementing the coup. They operated mechanized equipment and maintained a high profile in and around the capital including manning roadblocks. According to one source, "They were to be seen everywhere." The fall of Obote's regime

9804-424: The end of 1981. Regardless, UNLA continued to hold the rebels at bay and even scored several major victories. On 23 February 1982, UNLA fended off a large-scale raid by UFM on Kampala, and then managed to inflict high casualties on the routed insurgents. The UFM attempted to reorganize, but retreated into NRA-held areas. It hoped to convince some of Museveni's followers to defect. Instead, a UFM commander defected with

9933-1427: The following: 00°49′59″N 32°29′58″E  /  0.83306°N 32.49944°E  / 0.83306; 32.49944 Ugandan Bush War NRM victory [REDACTED] Ugandan government [REDACTED]   Tanzania (until 1985) [REDACTED]   North Korea (1981–1985) Supported by: [REDACTED]   Commonwealth of Nations [REDACTED] National Resistance Movement (NRM) [REDACTED] West Nile rebels: [REDACTED] UFM (1980–83) [REDACTED] FEDEMU (1983–85) [REDACTED] ULM [REDACTED] UNLF-AD Supported by: [REDACTED]   Libya [REDACTED]   Soviet Union [REDACTED]   Cuba [REDACTED]   China [REDACTED]   Saudi Arabia (West Nile Rebels only) [REDACTED]   Mozambique (alleged) [REDACTED]   Tanzania (from 1985) National Resistance Army : Yoweri Museveni Salim Saleh Sam Magara   † Steven Kashaka Joram Mugume Pecos Kuteesa Fred Rwigyema Yusuf Lule West Nile rebels : Moses Ali Amin Onzi Felix Onama Isaac Lumago Elly Hassan [REDACTED] Ugandan military Pro-government militias Uganda Army: c. 7,100 (1980) The Ugandan Bush War

10062-432: The government and some political groups such as the Democratic Party attempted to exploit the chaos by gaining control over the military. The news also reached Gulu , where Lieutenant General Bazilio Olara-Okello , an Acholi, was stationed. Fearing that a new government in Kampala might purge the Acholi, he revolted. Olara-Okello gathered a force dominated by Acholi mutineers, and won the support of ex-Amin loyalists from

10191-439: The government army, and their commanders became part of the ruling military council. Despite this, the ex-insurgents maintained autonomy. Kampala was carved up among the government coalition: UNLA held the center, FEDEMU the south, and FUNA the north. The situation consequently remained volatile, as the government proved fragile, while soldiers and other militants acted with impunity in the capital. Okello also attempted to bolster

10320-524: The government forces. The Uganda Army launched its next offensive just before the Ugandan national elections in December 1980 . In one of their most daring actions, the rebels ambushed Obote as he was touring the West Nile region. They almost killed him and Tito Okello , a high-ranking UNLA commander. This time, the Uganda Army also held the areas it captured in West Nile, and set up a parallel government after retaking Koboko. After about one month of combat,

10449-477: The insurgent army split off, forming the " Uganda National Rescue Front " (UNRF) under Moses Ali, whereas the remaining Amin loyalists were still called the "Ugandan Army" until becoming known as "Former Uganda National Army" (FUNA). The West Nile rebels soon started to fight each other. Furthermore, southwestern Uganda experienced a resurgence of the Rwenzururu movement which wanted self-determination for

10578-436: The insurgents had captured most of West Nile, leaving only some towns under UNLA control. However, many rebels focused more on looting the area and taking the plunder back to Zaire and Sudan than on fighting the UNLA. The West Nile rebellion was weakened by internal divisions as parts of the Uganda Army remained loyal to Idi Amin, whereas others wanted to distance themselves from the unpopular old dictator. The latter part of

10707-407: The international agreement signed after the failed invasion. As a result, Obote kept a low-profile in the next years, as he continued his efforts to regain power. As he had not siphoned off money to overseas banks during his first presidency, Obote mostly lived off a Tanzanian pension. He gave no more interviews, and rarely ventured abroad to meet other opposition figures. Most of the time, he stayed at

10836-548: The involved parties that he opposed a military intervention, while the Tanzanians feared that Western powers might intervene on Amin's side. At this point, Obote's loyalists in the Uganda Army had been crushed, and Nyerere offered Obote training camps in Tanzania to organize a guerrilla army in exile. Meanwhile, thousands of Obote supporters (including many soldiers) escaped to Sudan whose government also offered them sanctuary and training camps. From late March 1971, Obote built up

10965-705: The latter did not materialize, thereby contributing to the invasion's defeat. Obote never forgave Museveni for this, creating a lasting rift. The attempted invasion was also met with international condemnation, forcing the Tanzanian government to officially close the insurgent camps and pledge to stop supporting anti-Amin rebels. Obote and members of his inner circle consequently relocated to Dar es Salaam where many began to work as teachers, lawyers, doctors, etc., while his common fighters were moved to Tabora to become coffee farmers. The Tanzanian government informed Obote that it would continue tolerating anti-Amin insurgent activities as long as they remained clandestine, despite

11094-501: The latter. Furthermore, Obote granted the Rwenzururu region some limited autonomy. By late 1981, the UNLA was already in a critical situation. Its rapid expansion to over 15,000 troops by December 1981 resulted in a majority of its troops being untrained, badly armed and often unpaid. Corruption became rampant, and great differences emerged between UNLA units. Some, like those that were active in northern Uganda, were given preferential treatment and became relatively reliable. In contrast,

11223-463: The massacres was placed on the people of northern Uganda for supporting the actions of the NRA, which increased the existing regional tensions in the country. The UNLA also defeated the UFM in 1983, destroying its main camps during a coordinated counter-insurgency operation. The UFM suffered another setback when its exiled leadership was scattered during a crackdown in Kenya in July 1983; its leader Kirya

11352-412: The military according to which Obote had arranged the death of his chief of staff due to developing rifts between them. Although Obote's responsibility could not be proven, the rumours damaged Obote's reputation among the military. The CIA determined that Oyite-Ojok had been crucial for keeping the Ugandan government afloat, and had been responsible for "maintaining some semblance of security and order" in

11481-490: The military training. In addition, the Sudanese government signed a treaty with Amin in early 1972, expelling Obote and his followers, greatly weakening them. Overall, Obote was unable to mobilize more than about 1,000 insurgents, many of whom lacked proper training. As tensions mounted between Tanzania and Uganda, even escalating in occasional border clashes, Nyerere finally greenlit the planned invasion. Even some exiles critical of Obote, such as Yoweri Museveni 's group, joined

11610-447: The military was able to contain it. Despite this, Obote's forces suffered from tribalism, corruption, and internal rivalries. The UNLA and its allied militias had been expanded too quickly in an attempt to defeat the insurgency: By 1984, Obote had 35,000 to 40,000 men under arms, but just 15,000 had received basic training. As a result, the soldiers were undisciplined, unreliable, and prone to harass, steal from, and murder civilians due to

11739-475: The neighboring country. Tanzania halted the assault, mobilised anti-Amin opposition groups, and launched a counter-offensive. Amin's forces and his Libyan allies were defeated by Tanzanian troops and the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF), a political coalition formed by exiled anti-Amin Ugandans under the leadership of Obote, whose armed wing was known as Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). Amin

11868-484: The new army, and these were distributed across several units. Furthermore, FRONASA was forced to give up its own weaponry. At the same time, the UNLA was rapidly expanded; most of the new recruits came from ethnic groups that supported Obote. As result, power shifted to pro-Obote elements in the government and the army. The elections of December 1980 were officially won by Milton Obote's Uganda People's Congress , effectively making him president of Uganda again. However,

11997-452: The new government as well as the traditional rule of the tribal elders. Many were extremely poor, and economic and political chaos was widespread in northern Uganda in the Bush War's wake. As time went on, groups of ex-soldiers began to band together as bandits, and violence gradually grew worse in the north. Some NRA garrisons in the region mishandled the crisis by responding with extreme brutality. Though many NRA troops actually behaved well,

12126-482: The newly formed NRA with backing from the Baganda, allowing Museveni to expand his envisioned "people's war". The Luwero Triangle consequently became the NRA's main operations area, although the group's center of recruitment remained Ankole in the west. Soon after the merger, Museveni implemented a strict code of conduct for fighters, allowing the NRA to remain highly disciplined and focused despite gradually growing in numbers and absorbing other insurgent factions such as

12255-403: The operation. The 1972 invasion of Uganda by Obote's rebel alliance was a military disaster, with much of the insurgent force destroyed. This failure contributed to the existing tensions among the anti-Amin forces. On his part, Obote would accuse Museveni of having lied about controlling an underground network in southern Uganda. This alleged network was supposed to cause a popular uprising, but

12384-430: The population of Luweero Town at 43,700. In 2020, the population agency estimated the mid-year population of the town at 49,100. Of these, 26,100 (53.2 percent) were females and 23,000 (46.8 percent) were males. UBOS calculated that the population of Luweero Town increased at an average estimated rate of 2.4 percent per year, between 2015 and 2020. In Luweero or near the town, there are several points of interest, including

12513-478: The population. The brunt of the blame for this massacre was placed on the people of northern Uganda for supporting the action of the Prime Minister which increased the existing regional tensions in the country. It has been estimated that approximately 100,000 to 500,000 people died as a result of fighting between Obote's Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) and the guerrillas. On 27 July 1985, Obote

12642-492: The presidency "Uganda will be assured of another war, many times as intense as the current struggle [i.e. the Uganda–Tanzania War]. Only, the next one will be a guerrilla conflict". Meanwhile, Uganda's northeast was destabilized by large-scale banditry and communal violence. Karamojong groups, Uganda Army remnants, and foreign raiders used the political instability to raid cattle and other foodstock. These events caused

12771-401: The president. The bullet struck Obote in the face, breaking two of his teeth and passing through his cheek. Sebaduka's pistol jammed, and another assassin, Yowana Wamala, threw a grenade at the president, but it failed to explode. Sebaduka was shot by Obote's bodyguards, but both conspirators escaped in the pandemonium following the attempt. Investigators later arrested them and several members of

12900-568: The rebel leadership. As the UNRF and FUNA fought each other, the former gained the upper hand and mostly evicted FUNA from West Nile by July 1981. FUNA commander Elly Hassan fled to Sudan, where he was eventually arrested by local authorities. Regardless, the inter-rebel struggle only resulted in the overall weakening of the West Nile insurgents. By 1981, four different insurgent factions were active in northwestern Uganda, all of which claimed to have no direct links with Amin. One West Nile rebel group,

13029-441: The remaining UNLA garrisons had great difficulties in holding out. The insurgents proved better trained and more effective fighters, and often captured supply convoys coming from the south. In addition, the UNLA garrisons suffered from indiscipline and internal rivalries, sometimes clashing in their barracks. Despite these advantages, the West Nile rebellion was crippled by infighting, high corruption, and lack of actual strategy among

13158-446: The remnants of the "Gang of Four". By December 1981, the NRA had grown to about 900 militants. Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi also opted to provide support to the NRA, although it was made up of forces which had overthrown his old ally Amin. Gaddafi believed that Libya could gain greater influence in central Africa through the NRA than it had previously with Amin. The Libyan support remained very limited, however, with about 800 rifles,

13287-512: The residence of King (Kabaka) Edward Muteesa II of Buganda . The attack aimed to dislodge Muteesa from power and diminish his influence. During the assault, the palace was heavily shelled, resulting in substantial damage notable of which were his Rolls Royce cars that were set on fire. Muteesa managed to escape and sought refuge in the British High Commission in Kampala, although his brother Prince Alexander David Ssimbwa

13416-777: The rest of his life in exile. Apollo Milton Obote was born in the Akokoro village in the Apac district in northern Uganda, on 28 December 1925. He was the third born of nine children of a tribal chief of the Oyima clan Lango ethnic group. He began his education in 1940 at the Protestant Missionary School in Lira , and later attended Gulu Junior Secondary School, Busoga College , Mwiri and eventually university at Makerere University . Having intended to study law,

13545-434: The results were strongly disputed by other candidates, resulting in increasing strife. Several political factions claimed electoral fraud , and believed themselves to be proven correct when Obote immediately launched a campaign of political repression. As the UNLA was dominated by pro-Obote forces, a coup was impossible, so the opposition instead launched armed rebellions against Obote's government: Museveni's followers created

13674-456: The so-called "Nile Regiment" (NR) was set up by Felix Onama , a former follower of Obote. As result of its inability to reduce corruption or provide true stability, the UNRF gradually lost the support of local civilians. The Ugandan government exploited the divisions and chaos among the rebels by launching counter-attacks into Western Nile from 1981, where its regular military and "People's Militia" committed numerous atrocities. By December 1981,

13803-458: The so-called "Uganda Liberation Movement" which threatened to kidnap and kill United Nations personnel, as the latter was supporting Obote's attempts at restabilizing Uganda. The threats worked, and the U.N. stopped its training programme for the Ugandan police. The PRA also continued its hit-and-run operations with mixed successes: It overran a UNLA outpost at Kakiri on 5 April 1981, and captured important weaponry, but had to hastily retreat when

13932-433: The still significant North Korean aid, just 50 Tanzanian, 12 British and six U.S. advisors remained in the country. However, the government initially remained relatively successful in battling the rebels. With Oyite-Ojok dead, Obote appointed Ogole new head of the anti-NRA operations in the Luwero Triangle. Ogole improved his troops' training and included other security as well as civil agencies in his anti-rebel strategy. In

14061-454: The tactics of a people's war to keep his small force active. In this regard, the PRA succeeded, as it won over many locals in the area around Kampala who considered Obote's government a regime which solely served the northerners. Without extensive support by sympathetic civilians during their early insurgency, Museveni's troops would have been easily crushed in 1981. The PRA also enjoyed very limited foreign support. Some believed that Museveni

14190-473: The war escalated, foreign support became vital for the survival of Obote's government. The Tanzanians initially helped to defend his regime and kept some order through the presence of about 10,000 Tanzania People's Defence Force soldiers and 1,000 policemen. Nevertheless, the unsustainable costs of these troops led Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere to gradually withdraw most of his forces from Uganda. By June 1981, just 800 to 1,000 Tanzanian advisors remained in

14319-613: Was a civil war fought in Uganda by the official Ugandan government and its armed wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), against a number of rebel groups, most importantly the National Resistance Army (NRA), from 1980 to 1986. The unpopular President Milton Obote was overthrown in a coup d'état in 1971 by General Idi Amin , who established a military dictatorship . Amin

14448-543: Was aided by his old Mozambican allies, resulting in tensions between Obote's government and Mozambique. Most attacks by Museveni's force involved small mobile units called "coys" under the command of Fred Rwigyema , and Museveni's brother, Salim Saleh , with "A" Coy led by Steven Kashaka, "B" Coy by Joram Mugume , and "C" Coy by Pecos Kuteesa. There were three small zonal forces: the Lutta Unit operating in Kapeeka ,

14577-401: Was also known as "West Front" or "Western Nile Front"). The rebels were not truly unified but split into several bands that were loyal to numerous officers who had previously served under Amin such as Emilio Mondo , Isaac Lumago , Isaac Maliyamungu , Elly Hassan , Christopher Mawadri , and Moses Ali . Amin arranged for the group to receive money from Saudi Arabia in preparation for

14706-444: Was arrested. This incident marked a pivotal moment in Ugandan politics and had profound implications for the country's future. The attack on Muteesa's palace was followed by Obote's subsequent abolition of the kingdoms in Uganda, including Buganda, and the declaration of Uganda as a republic. This action led to heightened political unrest and ethnic tensions within the country. The assault on Muteesa's palace and its aftermath played

14835-512: Was captured by the NRA on 26 January 1986. Yoweri Museveni was subsequently sworn in as president on 29 January, and the NRA became the new regular army of Uganda. Tito Okello fled to Sudan. Despite this massive defeat, the UNLA attempted to rally once more, and intended to defend its remaining holdings in northern Uganda. These holdouts were led by Bazilio Olara-Okello, who ordered a mass mobilization in Gulu and Kitgum . Everyone who could hold

14964-550: Was cemented when the parliament passed a new constitution that abolished the federal structure of the independence constitution and created an executive presidency. The attack on Muteesa's palace refers to a significant event that occurred during Milton Obote's first reign of presidency in Uganda commonly known as the Mengo Crisis . On 24 May 1966, Obote ordered an assault on the (Lubiri) palace located at Mengo in Kampala ,

15093-563: Was deposed again. As in 1971, he was overthrown by his own army commanders in a military coup d'état ; this time the commanders were Brigadier Bazilio Olara-Okello and General Tito Okello . The two men briefly ruled the country through a Military Council, but after a few months of near-chaos, Museveni's NRA seized control of the country. By July 1985, Amnesty International estimated that the Obote regime had been responsible for more than 300,000 civilian deaths across Uganda. Abuses were particularly conspicuous in an area of central Uganda known as

15222-412: Was extremely weak, and Lule finally gained an actual armed following, while Museveni was provided with important legitimacy, as Lule remained much respected among Uganda's southern population. This was especially important because a strategically important region near Kampala, known as Luwero Triangle , was mostly inhabited by Baganda . So far, the PRA had mostly consisted of non-Baganda, but Lule provided

15351-425: Was focused on high-profile urban operations. The group hoped to destabilize Obote's government through direct attacks, a strategy which "doomed it to fail from the beginning" according to historians Tom Cooper and Adrien Fontanellaz. The UFM was not strong enough to challenge the UNLA head-on, suffered from leadership rivalries, lacked a firm organization, and was prone to being infiltrated by pro-government spies. As

15480-627: Was governed by an interim Presidential Commission . At the time of the 1980 elections, the chairman of the commission was a close associate of Obote, Paulo Muwanga . Muwanga had briefly been the de facto President of Uganda from 12–20 May 1980, as one of three presidents who served for short periods of time between Amin's ousting and the setting up of the Presidential Commission. The other two presidents were Yusuf Lule and Godfrey Binaisa . The elections in 1980 were won by Obote's Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party. However,

15609-477: Was granted an amnesty by Museveni and returned to Uganda, where he died in Kampala in 1996. Despite its support for Obote during the civil war, North Korea quickly developed amicable relations with Museveni's government. Cooperation was restored as soon as 1986, and the new Ugandan military consequently received weaponry as well as training by North Korea. The country's involvement in the Bush War had other long-lasting repercussions, however, as North Koreans became

15738-536: Was in Bondo , where six Tanzanians were killed. The UNLA forces, considering the local population hostile, engaged in a campaign of destruction and looting across the West Nile, as Tanzanian officers tried in vain to restrain them. They leveled the town of Arua , killed over 1,000 civilians, and provoked the flight of over 250,000 refugees to Sudan and Zaire. The brutality of the UNLA inspired further unrest, as peasants and ex-soldiers took up arms to defend their lands from

15867-478: Was increasingly destabilized by factionalism and economic decline, while opposition groups as well as dissatisfied elements of the Uganda Army repeatedly attempted to organize uprisings or to overthrow his regime by other means. Several opposition factions, including Obote's loyalists, were supported by Tanzania under President Julius Nyerere . In 1978, parts of the Uganda Army launched an invasion of Tanzania under unclear circumstances, resulting in open war with

15996-461: Was left mostly destroyed following Ogole's offensive, and relocated from West Nile. The group moved its bases in southern Sudan to northern Uganda, where it attempted to rally the Karamojong people to its cause. In the south, the UNLA under chief of staff Oyite-Ojok waged a counter-insurgency campaign against the NRA in the Luwero Triangle which resulted in the "genocidal killings" of thousands of Baganda civilians. Many government troops deployed in

16125-570: Was overthrown and replaced as president by his general Tito Okello in 1985 during the closing months of the conflict. Okello formed a coalition government consisting of his followers and several armed opposition groups, which agreed to a peace deal. In contrast, the NRA refused to compromise with the government, and conquered much of western and southern Uganda in a number of offensives from August to December 1985. The NRA captured Kampala , Uganda's capital, in January 1986. It subsequently established

16254-530: Was overthrown during the fall of Kampala and then fled the country, and UNLF was installed by Tanzania to replace him. The unstable UNLF government ruled the country provisionally from April 1979 until December 1980. Meanwhile, the ousted Amin loyalists who had fled into Zaire and Sudan reorganised, and prepared to renew war in order to regain control of Uganda. Obote planned to regain power, even though he remained widely unpopular in Uganda. War correspondent Al J Venter stated that in case of Obote's return to

16383-514: Was overthrown in 1979 following the Uganda-Tanzania War , but his loyalists started the Bush War by launching an insurgency in the West Nile region in 1980. Subsequent elections saw Obote return to power in a UNLA-ruled government. Several opposition groups claimed the elections were rigged , and united as the NRA under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni to start an armed uprising against Obote's government on 6 February 1981. Obote

16512-482: Was repatriated to Uganda and imprisoned. The group never recovered. Remnants of the UFM, possibly a few hundred militants strong, subsequently formed the Federal Democratic Movement of Uganda (FEDEMU). Up to late 1983, Obote's government had remained relatively stable and in control of most of Uganda thanks to the efforts of chief of staff David Oyite-Ojok. Though it could not defeat the NRA,

16641-410: Was welcomed and celebrated by many Ugandans. Once he was informed of the coup, Obote immediately flew to Nairobi to rally loyalist army elements in Uganda to oppose Amin's takeover. However, Kenyan authorities blocked his attempts to contact his followers, and the remaining pro-Obote soldiers failed to organize a counteroffensive. The pro-Amin forces were consequently able to swiftly eliminate them in

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