Prime
TODAY IN HISTORY: President Obote ousted again
Former president Milton Obote. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- His second period of rule ended after a long and bloody conflict known as the Ugandan Bush War, during which he was overthrown by another coup d’état in 1985, prompting him to live the rest of his life in exile
July 27, 1985
Ugandan army ousted President Milton Obote for the second time.
The first time was in January 1971 when President Obote was attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Singapore. He was overthrown in a coup d’état by Idi Amin, but was re-elected in 1980 a year after Amin’s 1979 overthrow.
New US spy files reveal chaotic last days of Obote II regime
His second period of rule ended after a long and bloody conflict known as the Ugandan Bush War, during which he was overthrown by another coup d’état in 1985, prompting him to live the rest of his life in exile.
Obote saw his downfall coming and instead, went on a live broadcast and pleaded with the soldiers to spare him promising them money since he was also the Minister of Finance.
The promise did not dissuade the
architects of the coup, who included Brig Gen Bazillio Olara Okello and army commander Lieutenant Gen Tito Okello Lutwa, both from Acholi Sub-region.
Lutwa became the eighth president of Uganda from July 29,1985 until January 26, 1986.
