GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

Background | Past Leaders | History | Military | Post Independence

Politics of Uganda - Obote's Political Showdown

The tension started building between both within the UPC, and between the central government and Buganda, untill the final blow came in 1966. In February, while Obote and nine other cabinet ministers were touring the northern region, senior government figures - most notably Grace Ibingira - set out to stage a " palace revolution ". 

The plotters rekindled a 1965 allegation that Prime Minister Obote, Defence Minister Felix Onama, and deputy commander of the army Colonel Idi Amin were involved in smuggling from Zaire (now DRC). They had the National Assembly pass a resolution bitterly attacking Obote's leadership. Only one government MP, John Kakonge voted against the motion. 

At the same time troop movements and other counter-movements, began in Kampala. The chief of staff, Brigadier Opolot, had been requested to intervene on the side off the plotters should the parliamentary option misfire. The Kabaka, one of the leaders of the anti-Obote forces, had reportedly requested military assistance from Britain.

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