Lying in a coma in a Saudi Arabian hospital, Uganda’s notorious former dictator Idi Amin has no idea about the debate that is raging in his home country over whether he should be allowed to return home.
Amin is blamed for one of the deadliest reigns of terror in modern African history. Human rights groups estimate that between 300 000 and 400 000 people perished at the hands of his security forces between 1971 and 1979.
His large extended family — the man is said to have about 30 children — want him to return to Uganda while still alive, so he can be buried in his ancestral home within one day of his death, in keeping with Islamic tradition.
The request — and the state of Amin’s health — is what everybody’s talking about in the capital Kampala, and it is a subject that evokes fierce passions.
”I hate Amin,” says office receptionist Herriet Mbabazi, referring to the former strongman as ”that murderer”.
”I do not want him returned here dead or alive,” Mbabazi says.
”He killed so many people including my relatives. Let him die and be buried there.”
”If Amin comes back breathing or conscious, I will arrest him because he committed crimes here,” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said this week.
Museveni said Amin’s body can be returned to the country for burial but no state funeral will be accorded. Yet Amin also has his staunch defenders.
”I have never enjoyed life since the big man was removed from power. I have been living a life of misery, ” says Fred Basarirwa (45) a former staff sergeant in Amin’s army now working as a driver.
”Ugandans should not forget that life was better during Amin’s regime.”
Basarirwa describes Amin as a ”good man” who didn’t order anyone to be killed. ”All those stories that Amin killed people are lies.
Amin’s security agents were the ones who killed people without his knowledge.”
”Amin should be brought back and if there were any crimes he committed, they should be forgiven,” says Frank Kimuri (30) an electrician in Kampala.
Amin was initially popular. When he overthrew Prime Minister Milton Obote, who was in Singapore for a Commonwealth summit, people danced in the streets of Kampala to welcome the army commander turned president.
An illiterate former national boxing champion, Amin expelled up to 80 000 Ugandans of Asian origin whose businesses formed the backbone of the country’s economy, then handed over the firms to friends and military cronies, mostly from his Kakwa ethnic group.
The economy shrivelled to a standstill, western nations that were concerned about the gross human rights abuses froze all aid and Uganda became isolated from the outside world.
Those who benefited see things differently.
”Amin was a nationalist who is to be be remembered for economic independence,” says Hajji Badru Bunkeddeko (70) a former recipient of Amin’s largesse. ”He removed the monopoly of the Asian control of businesses and Uganda is one of the only few African states with a large black African middle class.”
”If Amin comes and stands in an election for the presidency, he can win because we will give him votes,” Bunkeddeko says. ”We are praying that he recovers.”
Ugandan member of parliament Lukyamuzi says Amin was indeed a killer but many ordinary Ugandans cherish him because they believe he pushed for ”economic independence”
One of the many titles Amin conferred upon himself was President for Life. The designation was eventually proved inaccurate in April 1979, when the Tanzanian army fighting back against his ill-advised invasion of their country overthrew his regime. Amin initially fled the country to Libya, and in 1980 received asylum in Saudi Arabia, where he has lived until today. – Sapa-DPA