By Stephen Akabway Jr
Though Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada did not see many blackboards in his life, he knew very well how to prey on Dr Milton Obote’s razor-sharp intellect.
The year is 1971. Amin faces a looming danger of being arrested anytime over three million United States dollars embezzled by him.
The national parliament had appropriated the above-mentioned huge sums of public funds for the government to spend and acquire military stores.
But Amin converted the same and lied that he had spent the funds and purchased the required military stores where as not.
The commander-in-chief and president, Dr Obote has been left in deep shock, dismayed and furious upon receipt of a damning report issued by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), detailing the conversion of the funds budgeted to purchase the crucial military stores lacking presently in the country.
The president has therefore issued a stern order to his Internal Affairs cabinet minister, Basil Batangaliya, directing him to liaise with the military authorities and immediately effect Amin’s arrest.
Earlier on, the commander-in-chief had met his Defence cabinet Minister, Felix Onama and reminded him that he runs a clean government and therefore directed him and Amin to immediately restore the accounts questioned by PAC.
By a stroke of good luck, Dr Obote’s Internal Affairs cabinet minister, Basil Batangaliya has blundered and directed David Oyite Ojok a Major to arrest Amin a Major General.
But Bantalingaya’s directive is clearly defective since a Major cannot arrest a General due to a big gulf of difference in terms of rank between the two military officers.
Batalitangaya’s above-mentioned blunder has been exploited by Amin and worked out a potential solution to his looming arrest.
Dressed in shorts and sandals, Amin has moved up to Nakasero State House and met President Obote.
Cutting a figure of an extremely remorseful man, Amin has went completely down on his knees and swore total loyalty and allegiance to his commander-in-chief, Dr Obote.
And in particular, Amin has sworn never ever to carry out a coup against his commander-in-chief neither will he entertain such a treasonous idea.
Col Tonny Otoa who has been in company of Dr Obote during the dramatic meeting shared between the country’s commander-in-chief and his army Chief of Staff has attested to the veracity of this report.
Additionally, Col Otoa has revealed that their commander-in-chief who is set to fly next day to Singapore for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM), has apparently abandoned his earlier stance of arresting Amin.
Yet little Dr Obote is aware that Amin has been merely fooling him; neither is he aware that Amin was just buying time as he plots his overthrow.
Dr Obote had earlier on proclaimed his government’s move to the East. Obote’s move annoyed the British since his adoption of the new policy would deprive their investments in Uganda of massive business opportunities.
In an action of revenge, the British have exploited Amin’s vulnerability based on his looming arrest centered on the missing three million United States dollars and requested the Israel military instructors who are training Obote’s troops to convince Amin and overthrow Obote.
Amin has readily welcomed the idea, aware that the same presents to him an excellent escape route out of his arrest dilemma much as he is still a walking prisoner at large.
Obote had earlier on been briefed about Amin’s intended coup and taken a decision not to fly to Singapore.
But, Julius Nyerere and Kenneth Kaunda have implored him to go because he is the best and bold orator than any other in Africa at this point in time who is capable of telling off the domineering Apartheid masters in South Africa.
Since he never wished to let down his African counterparts who have expressed great confidence in him, Dr Obote has reluctantly flown out of Uganda to Singapore, potentially setting himself up for Amin’s potential coup.
Supposedly, on his arrival in Singapore for the CHOGM Summit, Dr Obote has been shocked to find not any single speech written yet by any one of his African counterparts but has confidently asserted, ” Well, who cares I will go ahead and do the job myself.”
Within a few minutes, the grandson of Lango Chief Akaki Opeto, Dr Obote had accomplished what his African counterparts had earlier on failed to accomplish , mirroring his immense intellect.
Thereafter, the legendary orator, Dr Obote, has proceeded to the podium, unleashing a sarcastic address of the imperialists in South Africa, inciting a Queen’s representative in the audience to equip that much as Obote is posing as a president, he is , in matter of truth, no longer one.
Apparently, the Israelites military instructors in Uganda had already contacted the British and relayed the news of Amin’s coup at the expense and great pain of his commander-in-chief, Dr Milton Obote, whom he had merely a day before the fact, assured that he would never ever do such a thing to him.
Betrayed, upstaged and homeless, a deeply hurt Obote has tried India first and finally migrated to Tanzania where he is going to stay as a refugee until Amin’s overthrow.
One reading this article goes away with the impression that Dr Obote’s African counterparts feared for their seats, shopping him to do the controversial job, sparking his 1971 overthrow by Amin.
Eight years later, the same and one British and the same and one Israelites instigated a coup and overthrew Amin, clearing the return of Dr Obote, lending credence to the law of Karma.
