{UAH} FOCUS ON THE 1974 ATTEMPTED MILITARY COUP AGAINST IDI AMIN

By CHANGE OF GUARDS

The Nubian and other ethnic groups from West Nile region in the army had played a key role in the overthrow of Obote in 1971.  They were also at hand to help in the consolidation of power through purges of mainly Acholi and Langi military personnel who were suspected to be loyal to the deposed, Obote.  With no regard to their being uneducated, Idi Amin rewarded them with promotions and vital command positions in the military.  Consequently, discontent amongst the soldiers mainly from the West Nile region was set in motion.  The Lugbara, in particular, were the most dissatisfied n the army.  The  increased recruitment of foreigners, mostly Sudanese and Congolese into military service incensed native Ugandan soldiers.  To some extent, the Muslim soldiers were more favoured against their Christian colleagues. The Military Police under the Sudanese native, Hassan Malerra had become very unpopular amongst the soldiers due to its Campaign of terror against Ugandans.  To contain the dissatisfaction, Amin sent the Chief of Staff, Brig. Charles Arube for a course in the USSR.  Though a Kakwa by his ethnicity just like Iddi Amin, Brig. Arube was a moderate and his popularity cut across the ethnic divide.  Hussein Malerra was appointed in acting capacity as Chief of Staff.  Owing to their Christian background, Arube and Col. Elly Aseni had the following of those soldiers who felt that Muslims in the army were more favoured.  Amin also replaced the Lugbara Commander of the elite Malire (Lubiri Palace) Battalion with his loyalist, Col. Juma Butabika.  

The situation was worsened by the murder of a Lugbara senior army officer, Col. Michael Ondoga in February 1974.  He had been the Minister of Foreign Affairs when Iddi Amin labeled it as the worst performing.  He was subsequently dropped from cabinet and a few days later, his mutilated body was found dumped in the bush.  It is thought that he was killed by the notorious intelligence agency, the SRB but Iddi Amin accused 'foreigners' for the murder.  The ethnic Lugbara in the army were further incensed by the murder of Col. Ondoga.  The incident coincided with the return of Brig. Arube from a course in Russia.  However, his temporary replacement Hussein Malerra refused to vacate office for Arube to resume as Chief of Staff.  Brig. Arube and Col. Elly allied with the disgruntled Lugbara soldiers of the Malire Battalion for a military coup.  A well orchestrated plot was effected on March 23, 1974 involving mainly Lugbara soldiers from the elite Malire Battalion led by Charles Arube and Col. Elly Aseni.  Their objective was to capture the Command Post at Kololo where Iddi Amin was based, the notorious military barracks at Makindye where Hussein Malerra was based, the PSU headquarters at Naguru where its head Ali Towellli was based and key government installations like Radio Uganda, Uganda Television, Bank of Uganda and the Post Office.  Also targeted were individuals like Isaac Maliyamungu who was the head of Training and Operations and Taban Lupayi who was the Commander of the Bugolobi based Marine Regiment.  

On the early morning of March 23, heavily armed soldiers backed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) rolled out of Malire Barracks headed for different objectives in the city.  Key routes into the city were blocked to counter any reinforcements by Amin loyalist troops outside Kampala.  The said key installations in the city were taken by the mutineers with less resistance.  At Makindye, Hussein Malerra had managed to escape and was hidden in Entebbe.  Thinking Hussein Malerra was fleeing to West Nile, Brig. Arube communicated with the Commander of the Artillery Regiment in Masindi, Col. Abdul Kisule and ordered him to intercept Malerra.  Instead, Col. Kisule defiantly placed his force into a defensive position ready to fight off the mutineers.  As the 60 man force that had been tasked to confront Iddi Amin at the Command Post in Kololo were approaching the objective, Brig. Arube decided to take command.  The Presidential Guard at the Command Post put up a spirited resistance before they were overpowered by the mutineers.  In the process, Brig. Arube was shot dead before reinforcement arrived from the the Marine Regiment under Taban Lupayi.  

Overwhelmed, the attackers of the Command Post surrendered and it is reported that Iddi Amin came out to convince them to lay down their arms.  Some of the leading coup plotters fled into hiding with some fleeing the country to Sudan and Congo.  However, in other places mutineering soldiers continued with defiance and skirmishes were witnessed for the next 24 hours.  Loyalist Nubian soldiers had played a leading role in quelling the mutiny.  At 3.00 p.m, Radio Uganda which had all along been playing church music resumed nornal broadcasting.  It reported that the heavy shootings in the city had been due to some "confusion" and that Iddi Amin had met with troops of the Malire Battalion, the Paratroopers and the Military Police.  Two hours later, without giving reasons it announced that Brig. Arube had shot himself dead and that the situation was under control.  Later, in another radio announcement it was declared that Brig. Arube had attempted a coup d'etat by allegedly "confusing" troops of Malire Battalion.  A military radio message was sent to all units to shoot on sight the other coup plotters who had fled.  A selective purge of army officers of the Kakwa and Lugbara ethnic groups was set in motion.  The purge further targeted other non military communities of West Nile in general leaving many to flee to Sudan and Congo.  

Iddi Amin instituted a Commission of Inquiry into the incident and exercised leniency towards the arrested mutineers.  He made reforms in the command structures of the force and prevailed over the excesses of the Military Police.  He replaced Hussein Malerra with Gen. Mustafa Idris as army Chief Of Staff. Hussein Marella retired to his home in Yei, Southern Sudan.  The entire Malirre Battalion was relocated from Malire Barracks (Lubiri Palace) to Bombo barracks.  He also initiated a number of reforms in the general management of military service in line with the mutineers' demands.  Months later Amin divorced his Lugbara wife Kay on accusations that she had been conspiring with her mutinous Lugbara tribesmen before she was murdered months later.    

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Rehema
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:Assalamu Alaikum

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