Amin did not write an autobiography, and he did not authorize an official written account of his life. But these are some random facts about him.
He was deserted by his father at a very young age, so he was brought up by his mother, a herbalist and diviner.
In 1946, he joined the King's African Rifles (KAR) of the British Colonial Army as a cook.
In 1961, he was promoted to lieutenant, becoming one of the first two Ugandans to become commissioned officers.
A tall and powerfully built man, Amin was the Ugandan light heavyweight boxing champion during his time in the army, a title he held from 1951 to 1960.
He was also a formidable swimmer and rugby forward.
He was a trained paratrooper. He took a paratroopers’ course in Israel.
Israelis gave him the name Hagai Ne’eman, which means ‘reliable helmsman’ and is a Hebrew translation of the Swahili name Idi Amin.
Amin did not attain any formal education, he was just a grade three drop out. But many close associates say he was intelligent naturally.
On his first foreign trip to Israel after capturing power, he asked for Phantom fighter jets. When asked by his host what Uganda needed the phantom jets for, Amin replied he was going to hit Tanzania.
An estimate compiled by exile organizations with the help of Amnesty International puts the number killed during Amin’s regime at 500,000
In 1980, a year after his disposition, the Saudi royal family paid him a generous subsidy in return for staying out of politics.
After Amin's death, David Owen revealed that when he was the British Foreign Secretary, he had proposed having Amin assassinated
His full self-bestowed title was: "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, 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"
Amin was a subject of rumours and myths, including a widespread belief that he was a cannibal.
He conferred a doctorate of law on himself from Makerere University as well as the Victorious Cross (VC), a medal made to emulate the British Victoria Cross.
During his time in the army, Amin became the light heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda, a title he held for nine years between 1951 and 1960
In 1972, Amin expelled Uganda’s Asian population, which numbered between 50,000 and 70,000, because he believed they were milking a cow called Uganda without feeding it.
At the height of his regime, Ugandan economy had an inflation of 1,000%.
On a positive note however, Amin was a true nationalist who loved his country, below are some of his achievements.
Amin established Uganda Airlines in February 1977.
Amin built the current Earth Satellite Station at Mpoma in Kyaggwe, Mukono District on Bugerere Road. If he had not done it, Uganda would still be depending on the Kenya satellite station in the Rift Valley.
Amin built the Uganda International Conference Centre and Nile Hotel (which is now Serena) in 1975 for the meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). It was built in nine months only.
Amin also established the Army shop where soldiers would buy goods at cheaper prices and he built many military barracks all over the country including the one in Masaka.
Amin completed Uganda House on Kampala Road. He enlarged Entebbe airport and built Gulu airstrip which is more or less abandoned now.
Amin established Uganda House in New York and London.
He extended the Bank of Uganda building in Kampala.
During the time of Amin, Busia Market and Border were established and now the whole area is a big commercial centre where business with Kenya is transacted by all kinds of people, among others.
Amin maintained and kept intact the Coffee industry in Buganda and during his time, Uganda did not have the “coffee wilt or virus” or coffee disease which we have today.
Amin kept the Co-operative Movement and the Co-operation Bank fully functional and the monetary exchange rate was seven shillings to one US dollar. Today we have four monetary units 3700 shillings to one US dollar!!
Amin kept the Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) intact and other Government corporations including the huge and modern Coffee processing plant at Bugolobi. Today it is a different story altogether.
All in all, Amin had one good quality. He was practical and pragmatic and the “do it now man”. To him there was no question of “we are waiting for the top leadership to tell us what to do and when to do it”. The moment he decided to do something he would do it straight away.
Source: Wikipedia, HOME
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