{UAH} A response to Yogesh Kotecha about the formation of Uganda Airlines under Idi Amin's terrible rule
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A response to Yogesh Kotecha about the formation of Uganda Airlines under Idi Amin's terrible rule in Uganda.... A story unknown to many Ugandans because majority of today's Ugandans are allergic to reading and doing simple research about their country
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In 1949, Bob Astles was sent on special duties during the Bataka uprising in Buganda. His first job in Uganda was as a colonial officer with the Ministry of Works, then with £100 he set up Uganda Aviation Services Ltd., the first airline in Uganda to employ Africans. As Uganda's independence approached in 1962, Astles became involved with a number of political groups. One of these was led by Milton Obote, who led the country to independence. Astles worked in his government until the 1971 coup d'état, when he transferred his allegiance to Amin.
Working with the Obote government, Bob Astles managed to convince Milton Obote that Uganda deserved a bigger Airport and Obote agreed. The government agreed to build the New Entebbe International Airport m, hoping to leave the Old airport to be an operation zone for internal and regional air taxis. Construction of the new Entebbe international airport started during Obote 1 regime by the Israeli company and was completed during Idi Amin's regime.
In December 1971, suspicion fell on Astles because of his previous support for Obote. Amin sent him to Makindye Prison where he spent 17 weeks, often shackled and brutally interrogated. Astles later said, "Amin called me a 'rotten apple' on the radio, and nationalised my airline. It was ordinary Africans who helped me to survive"
It was that nationalisation of Bob Astles aviation company that operated fokker friendship 40 seater planes that formed the nucleus of what came to be known as Uganda Airlines, the national carrier, at a much later date.
In 1975, Astles joined Amin's service, becoming the head of the anti-corruption squad and advising the president on British affairs, while running a pineapple farm. He also presided over the national aviation service that transported members of the government. By that time, he was resigned that he will never get his aviation company back.
After Idi Amin came to power, he visited the UK and in his formal tour of the UK, Amin visited a diary farm where he was mesmerised by the quality of the exotic Animal and their milk production output. Amin wanted them in Uganda but bringing them to Uganda became so tricky and expensive. He ordered the purchase of the first cargo planes to fly 4000 cows to Uganda. These planes became the first planes in the formation of a company called Uganda Air Cargo Company that eventually became a subsidiary of Uganda Airlines. By the time Amin left Uganda, Uganda Air Cargo company had 27 big planes that helped Uganda to export most of her exports and import most of her imports. The number shot up to this number of 27 thanks to Kenya's blockade of Uganda's imports after Amin unwisely said that the original colonial map of Uganda shows that our border with Kenya was deep inside Kenya as far as Naivasha. That time Kenya was having diplomatic problems with Uganda and could not take anything for granted, especially after a large consignment of military hardware from USSR appeared at Mombasa port. Kenya refused to hand them to Uganda. Uganda responded by cutting off the power supply and also increase her capacity to fly more of her goods to avoid confrontation with Kenya.
By 1975, Uganda was having problems with the East African Community. Amin was having problems with Jomo Kinyatta. You all know how Julius Nyerere of Tanzania had refused to recognise Idi Amin as a legitimate president of Uganda and with the 1972 aborted invasion of armed resistance from the Tanzanian soil to attack Uganda, Amin and Nyerere could not get along. East African Airways had reduced its flights to Uganda considerably. All this angered Amin and forced him to start a local airlines company to cater for a Ugandan customer base. So, Uganda technically broke ranks in the East African Airways and were followed by Kenya and Tanzania last. So the East African Community, an organisation that was founded in 1967, finally collapsed in 1977 due to political intrigues, mistrust and ideological difference.
The planes Amin bought were of sound good condition. Some were brand new. By the time Amin left, Uganda Airlines that handled passengers had 15 excellent planes. These were the planes that made the long haul international routes. These were being supplementes by a fleet of fokker friendship 40 seater planes that operated internally within Uganda flying between Kasese, Entebbe, Arua, Gulu, Kabale, Mbarara, Soroti, and other places
So that is the true picture of how Uganda Airlines corporation that is officially recorded as having started in 1975, but in reality that company had two other companies that started much earlier as stated here above - thus the nationalised Bob Astles aviation company and Uganda Air cargo limited.
You can read more about this by consulting Uganda Argus or the 3 decrees Amin made that formed the basis of statutory Instruments that legally helped to form the Uganda Airlines corporation. These decrees are held in our national archive and copies are held at Makerere University Library, Uganda Christian University Library (what used to known as Bishop Tucker Theological College, Mukono) and Katigondo Major Seminary Library.
Much as I detested the Idi Amin's rule in Uganda for its brutally, fascist style and gross human rights abuses, I can't twist facts like many people tend to do. History must be taught accurately without any fear or favour.
Amin did not start Uganda Airlines with ageing Boeing 707s as you allege. They were fairly new planes or say they were good planes in fairly good working order because very few countries could buy brand New planes and they did not make whisky runs as you put it but helped to export Uganda's goods and import most of our imports that could be seen in public shops like Foods and beverages supermarkets allover the country or Fresh Foods supermarkets allover the country. Of course, the Army shop also benefited. But remember, the Army shop didn't sell only whisky but also all household products just like the 2 mentioned public supermarkets did that were government owned.
Thank you
By
Sunday Geoffrey
(Other sources include Bob Astles book and government records)
--
-- A response to Yogesh Kotecha about the formation of Uganda Airlines under Idi Amin's terrible rule in Uganda.... A story unknown to many Ugandans because majority of today's Ugandans are allergic to reading and doing simple research about their country
===================
In 1949, Bob Astles was sent on special duties during the Bataka uprising in Buganda. His first job in Uganda was as a colonial officer with the Ministry of Works, then with £100 he set up Uganda Aviation Services Ltd., the first airline in Uganda to employ Africans. As Uganda's independence approached in 1962, Astles became involved with a number of political groups. One of these was led by Milton Obote, who led the country to independence. Astles worked in his government until the 1971 coup d'état, when he transferred his allegiance to Amin.
Working with the Obote government, Bob Astles managed to convince Milton Obote that Uganda deserved a bigger Airport and Obote agreed. The government agreed to build the New Entebbe International Airport m, hoping to leave the Old airport to be an operation zone for internal and regional air taxis. Construction of the new Entebbe international airport started during Obote 1 regime by the Israeli company and was completed during Idi Amin's regime.
In December 1971, suspicion fell on Astles because of his previous support for Obote. Amin sent him to Makindye Prison where he spent 17 weeks, often shackled and brutally interrogated. Astles later said, "Amin called me a 'rotten apple' on the radio, and nationalised my airline. It was ordinary Africans who helped me to survive"
It was that nationalisation of Bob Astles aviation company that operated fokker friendship 40 seater planes that formed the nucleus of what came to be known as Uganda Airlines, the national carrier, at a much later date.
In 1975, Astles joined Amin's service, becoming the head of the anti-corruption squad and advising the president on British affairs, while running a pineapple farm. He also presided over the national aviation service that transported members of the government. By that time, he was resigned that he will never get his aviation company back.
After Idi Amin came to power, he visited the UK and in his formal tour of the UK, Amin visited a diary farm where he was mesmerised by the quality of the exotic Animal and their milk production output. Amin wanted them in Uganda but bringing them to Uganda became so tricky and expensive. He ordered the purchase of the first cargo planes to fly 4000 cows to Uganda. These planes became the first planes in the formation of a company called Uganda Air Cargo Company that eventually became a subsidiary of Uganda Airlines. By the time Amin left Uganda, Uganda Air Cargo company had 27 big planes that helped Uganda to export most of her exports and import most of her imports. The number shot up to this number of 27 thanks to Kenya's blockade of Uganda's imports after Amin unwisely said that the original colonial map of Uganda shows that our border with Kenya was deep inside Kenya as far as Naivasha. That time Kenya was having diplomatic problems with Uganda and could not take anything for granted, especially after a large consignment of military hardware from USSR appeared at Mombasa port. Kenya refused to hand them to Uganda. Uganda responded by cutting off the power supply and also increase her capacity to fly more of her goods to avoid confrontation with Kenya.
By 1975, Uganda was having problems with the East African Community. Amin was having problems with Jomo Kinyatta. You all know how Julius Nyerere of Tanzania had refused to recognise Idi Amin as a legitimate president of Uganda and with the 1972 aborted invasion of armed resistance from the Tanzanian soil to attack Uganda, Amin and Nyerere could not get along. East African Airways had reduced its flights to Uganda considerably. All this angered Amin and forced him to start a local airlines company to cater for a Ugandan customer base. So, Uganda technically broke ranks in the East African Airways and were followed by Kenya and Tanzania last. So the East African Community, an organisation that was founded in 1967, finally collapsed in 1977 due to political intrigues, mistrust and ideological difference.
The planes Amin bought were of sound good condition. Some were brand new. By the time Amin left, Uganda Airlines that handled passengers had 15 excellent planes. These were the planes that made the long haul international routes. These were being supplementes by a fleet of fokker friendship 40 seater planes that operated internally within Uganda flying between Kasese, Entebbe, Arua, Gulu, Kabale, Mbarara, Soroti, and other places
So that is the true picture of how Uganda Airlines corporation that is officially recorded as having started in 1975, but in reality that company had two other companies that started much earlier as stated here above - thus the nationalised Bob Astles aviation company and Uganda Air cargo limited.
You can read more about this by consulting Uganda Argus or the 3 decrees Amin made that formed the basis of statutory Instruments that legally helped to form the Uganda Airlines corporation. These decrees are held in our national archive and copies are held at Makerere University Library, Uganda Christian University Library (what used to known as Bishop Tucker Theological College, Mukono) and Katigondo Major Seminary Library.
Much as I detested the Idi Amin's rule in Uganda for its brutally, fascist style and gross human rights abuses, I can't twist facts like many people tend to do. History must be taught accurately without any fear or favour.
Amin did not start Uganda Airlines with ageing Boeing 707s as you allege. They were fairly new planes or say they were good planes in fairly good working order because very few countries could buy brand New planes and they did not make whisky runs as you put it but helped to export Uganda's goods and import most of our imports that could be seen in public shops like Foods and beverages supermarkets allover the country or Fresh Foods supermarkets allover the country. Of course, the Army shop also benefited. But remember, the Army shop didn't sell only whisky but also all household products just like the 2 mentioned public supermarkets did that were government owned.
Thank you
By
Sunday Geoffrey
(Other sources include Bob Astles book and government records)
--
H.OGWAPITI
-----------------------------------------------------
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt
-----------------------------------------------------
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt
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