Milton Obote
242031
225832299
2008-07-15T16:36:49Z
Vervin
98350
/* External links */
{{Infobox President|name=Apollo Milton Opeto Obote
|image=MiltonObote1980.jpg
|imagesize=150
|order=2nd [[President of Uganda]]<br /><small>1st Executive President</small><br />8th President of Uganda
|term_start=[[April 15]], [[1966]]
|term_end=[[January 25]], [[1971]]<br />[[December 17]], [[1980]]{{ndash}} [[July 27]], [[1985]]
|predecessor=[[Mutesa II of Buganda]] <small>(non-executive)</small> (1966)<br />[[Presidential Commission of Uganda]] (1980)
|successor=[[Idi Amin]] (1971)<br />[[Bazilio Olara-Okello]] (1985)
|order2=2nd [[Prime Minister of Uganda]]<br /><small>1st Executive Prime Minister</small>
|term_start2=[[April 30]], [[1962]]
|term_end2=[[April 15]], [[1966]]
|predecessor2=[[Benedicto Kiwanuka]]<small> (non-executive)</small>
|successor2=''None (post abolished)''
|birth_date={{birth date|1925|12|28|mf=y}}
|birth_place=[[Apac|Apac District]], [[Uganda]]
|dead=alive
|death_date={{death date and age|2005|10|10|1925|12|28|mf=y}}
|death_place=[[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]]
|spouse=[[Miria Obote]]
|party=[[Uganda People's Congress]]
|vicepresident=
|religion=
}}
'''Apollo Milton Opeto Obote''' ([[December 28]] [[1925]]{{ndash}} [[October 10]] [[2005]]<ref>Birth and death date according to the [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Africa8_069.jpg headstone inscription on his grave]</ref>), [[Prime Minister of Uganda]] from 1962 to 1966 and [[President of Uganda]] from 1966 to 1971 and from 1980 to 1985, was a Ugandan political leader who led [[Uganda]] to independence from the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[colonialism|colonial]] administration in 1962. He was overthrown by [[Idi Amin]] in 1971, but regained power in 1980. His second rule was marred by repression, and the deaths of many civilians as a result of a civil war known as the [[Ugandan Bush War]].
==Early life and first presidency==
{{Refimprovesect|date=April 2008}}
Milton Obote was born at Akokoro village in [[Apac|Apac district]] in northern Uganda. He was the son of a local chief of the [[Lango]] ethnic group. He began his education in 1940 at the Protestant Missionary School in [[Lira, Uganda|Lira]], and later attended [[Gulu]] Junior Secondary School, [[Busoga College]] and eventually university at [[Makerere University]]. At Makerere, Obote honed his natural oratorical skills, but was expelled for participating in a student strike (Obote claimed he left Makerere voluntarily<ref>[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/obote/ob04072.php ''I come from royal ancestry''], Published in [[The Monitor (Uganda)|The Monitor]]</ref>). He worked in [[Buganda]] in southern Uganda before moving to [[Kenya]], where he worked as a construction worker at an engineering firm. While in Kenya, Obote became involved in the Kenyan independence movement. Upon returning to Uganda in 1956, he joined the political party [[Uganda National Congress]] (UNC), and was elected to the colonial [[Legislative Council]] in 1957.<ref>[http://www.upcparty.net/upcparty/roots_adhola.htm "The Roots, Emergence, and Growth of the Uganda Peoples Congress, 1600-1985"], Yoga Adhola, UPC Website</ref> In 1959, the UNC split into two factions, with one faction under the leadership of Obote merging with Uganda People's Union to form the [[Uganda People's Congress]] (UPC).
In the runup to independence elections Obote formed a coalition with the [[Buganda]] royalist party, [[Kabaka Yekka]]. The two parties controlled a Parliamentary majority and Obote became Prime Minister in 1962. He assumed the post on [[April 25]], [[1962]], appointed by Sir [[Walter Coutts]], then [[Governor-General of Uganda]]. The following year the position of Governor-General was replaced by a ceremonial Presidency to be elected by Parliament. Mutesa, the ''[[Kabaka]]'' (King) of Buganda, became the ceremonial President, with Obote as [[Executive (government)|executive]] Prime Minister.
As prime minister, Obote was implicated in a [[gold]] [[smuggle|smuggling]] plot, together with [[Idi Amin]], then deputy commander of the Ugandan armed forces. When the [[Parliament]] demanded an investigation of Obote and the ousting of Amin, he suspended the [[constitution]] and declared himself President in March 1966, allocating to himself almost unlimited power under [[state of emergency]] rulings. Several members of his [[cabinet]], who were leaders of rival factions in the party, were arrested and detained without charge. In May the Buganda regional Parliament passed a resolution declaring Buganda's incorporation into Uganda to be ''de jure'' null and void after the suspension of the constitution.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Obote responded with [[Battle of Mengo Hill|an armed attack]] upon Mutesa's palace, which ended with Mutesa fleeing to exile. In 1967, Obote's power was cemented when Parliament passed a new constitution which abolished the federal structure of the independence constitution, and created an executive Presidency.
In 1969 there was an attempt on Obote's life. In the aftermath of the attempt all opposition political parties were banned, leaving Obote as an effectively absolute ruler. The years of Obote's rule as President from 1966 to 1971 were on the whole quiet years in Uganda's history. A state of emergency was in force for much of the time and many political opponents were jailed without trial but life for ordinary citizens was quite uneventful. Economic growth was good for most of this time. In 1969-70 Obote published a series of pamphlets which were supposed to outline his political and economic policy. "[[The Common Man's Charter]]" was a summary of his approach to socialism. A proposal on new election procedures was supposed to end [[tribalism]] (allegiance and favoritism for one's own ethnic group). The government took over a 51% share in major private corporations and banks in the country in 1970.
Obote's regime after 1966 was openly dependent on control of the army. Idi Amin, who sided with Obote in 1966, was rewarded by promotion to Army commander, despite his near-illiteracy and the availability of trained officers. Starting in 1969 strains became visible between the two. In January 1971 Obote was overthrown by the army while on a visit to Singapore, and Amin became President. In the two years before the coup Obote's relations with the West had become strained. Published works on the coup have asserted that Western Governments were at least aware of, and may have aided, the coup.<ref>[[George Ivan Smith]], ''[[Ghosts of Kampala]]: The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin'' (1980)</ref><ref>G. S. K. Ibingira , ''African Upheavals since Independence'', Westview Press, ISBN 0891585850</ref> Obote fled to [[Tanzania]].
==Second term==
In 1979, Idi Amin was ousted by Tanzanian forces aided by Ugandan exiles. By 1980, Uganda was governed by an interim [[Presidential Commission of Uganda|Presidential Commission]]. At the time of the 1980 elections, the chairman of the commission was a close associate of Obote, [[Paulo Muwanga]]. Muwanga had briefly been the ''de facto'' President of Uganda from [[12 May]] to [[20 May]] in 1980. Muwanga was the third of three Presidents who served for short periods of time between Amin's ouster and the setting up of the Presidential Commission. The other two presidents were [[Yusuf Lule]] and [[Godfrey Binaisa]].
The elections in 1980 were won by Obote's [[Uganda People's Congress]] (UPC) Party. However, the UPC Party's opposition believed that the elections were rigged and this led to a [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] rebellion led by [[Yoweri Museveni|Yoweri Museveni's]] [[National Resistance Army]] (NRA) and several other military groups.
It has been estimated that approximately 100,000 people died as a result of fighting between Obote's [[Uganda National Liberation Front|Uganda National Liberation Army]] (UNLA) and the guerrillas.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html CIA Factbook - Uganda]</ref>
On [[27 July]] [[1985]], Obote was deposed again. As in 1971, he was overthrown by his own army commanders in a military [[coup d'état]]. This time the commanders were Brigadier [[Bazilio Olara-Okello]] and General [[Tito Okello]]. The two men briefly ruled the country through a Military Council, but after a few months of near chaos, Museveni's NRA seized control of the country.
==Death in exile==
After his second removal from power, Obote fled to [[Tanzania]] and later to [[Zambia]]. For some years it was rumoured that he would return to Ugandan politics. In August 2005, however, he announced his intention to step down as leader of the UPC.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/28/content_3412655.htm "Uganda's exiled ex-president Obote to retire from party's presidency"], ''Xinhua'', August 28, 2005</ref> In September 2005, it was reported that Obote would return to Uganda before the end of 2005.<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/200509/02/eng20050902_206125.html "Uganda's exiled ex-president to return home before end of 2005"], ''People's Daily Online'', September 2, 2005</ref>
[[Image:Africa8 069.jpg|right|300px|thumb|right|Milton Obote's grave]]
On [[October 10]], [[2005]], Obote died of [[Renal failure|kidney failure]] in a hospital in [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]].<ref>[hghttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4328834.stm "Former Ugandan leader Obote dies"], ''BBC'', October 10, 2005</ref>
Milton Obote was given a [[state funeral]], attended by president Museveni in the Ugandan capital [[Kampala]] in October 2005, to the surprise and appreciation of many Ugandans, since he and Museveni were bitter rivals.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5358413,00.html "Former foe mourns Uganda's Obote"], ''BBC'', October 20, 2005</ref> Other groups, such as the [[Baganda]] survivors of the "[[Luwero Triangle]]" massacres, were bitter that Obote was given a state funeral.<ref>"A founding father adored, dreaded in equal measure", [[The Monitor (Uganda)|The Monitor]]</ref>
He was survived by his wife and five children. On [[November 28]], his wife [[Miria Obote]] was elected UPC party president.<ref>[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/uhdecide/decide12211.php "Walking in Obote’s shadow"], ''Monitor'', December 21, 2005</ref> One of his sons [[Jimmy Akena]] is a member of parliament for [[Lira, Uganda|Lira Municipality]].
==References and notes==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/obote/index.php Obote Series - a series of articles and interviews published in The Monitor]
* [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR590011999?open&of=ENG-UGA Amnesty International report on Uganda.]
* [http://www.upcparty.org UPC official Website]
{{start box}}
{{succession box|title=President of the [[Uganda People's Congress]]|before=''none''|after=[[Miria Obote]]|years=1959–2005}}
{{succession box|title=[[Prime Minister of Uganda]]|before=[[Benedicto Kiwanuka]]|after=[[Otema Allimadi]]<br>post abolished 1966–1980|years=1962–1966}}
{{succession box|title=[[President of Uganda]]|before=[[Mutesa II|Edward Mutesa]]|after=[[Idi Amin]]|years=1966–1971}}
{{succession box|title=[[President of Uganda]]|before=[[Presidential Commission of Uganda]]|after=[[Bazilio Olara-Okello]]|years=1980–1985}}
{{end box}}
{{UgandaPresidents}}
{{UgandaPMs}}
{{Uganda topics}}
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME= Obote, Milton
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Obote, Apollo Milton Opeto
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[Prime Minister of Uganda]] from 1962 to 1966 and [[President of Uganda]] from 1966 to 1971 and from 1980 to 1985
|DATE OF BIRTH=[[December 28]] [[1925]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Apac|Apac District]], [[Uganda]]
|DATE OF DEATH=[[October 10]] [[2005]]
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obote, Milton}}
<!--Categories-->
[[Category:Presidents of Uganda]]
[[Category:Ugandan politicians]]
[[Category:Leaders ousted by a coup]]
[[Category:Cold War leaders]]
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from renal failure]]
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Uganda]]
<!--Other languages-->
[[am:ሚልተን ኦቦቴ]]
[[cs:Milton Obote]]
[[de:Milton Obote]]
[[es:Milton Obote]]
[[fr:Milton Obote]]
[[gl:Milton Obote]]
[[hr:Milton Obote]]
[[io:Milton Obote]]
[[id:Milton Obote]]
[[it:Milton Obote]]
[[he:מילטון אובוטה]]
[[mr:मिल्टन ओबोटे]]
[[nl:Milton Obote]]
[[ja:ミルトン・オボテ]]
[[no:Milton Obote]]
[[oc:Milton Obote]]
[[pl:Milton Obote]]
[[pt:Milton Obote]]
[[ru:Оботе, Милтон]]
[[fi:Milton Obote]]
[[sv:Milton Obote]]
[[tr:Milton Obote]]
[[uk:Оботе Мілтон]]
[[zh:米尔顿·奥博特]]