Obote

Traces the political career of twice-president Obote before and after Amin's dictatorship, arguing that his achievements in Uganda have been underestimated.

This work looks at the political transformation and the changes which have taken place in Uganda since the country won independence in October 1962. It is a work of history and political analysis; it is also a comparative study of the governments and regimes the country has had, starting with the democratic dispensation under Prime Minister - later President - Milton Obote that degenerated into authoritarian rule shortly after independence, followed by brutal dictatorship under Idi Amin and the short-lived regimes after his ouster; the return of Obote to the presidency after rigged elections in 1980, a period of conflict including civil war waged by his opponents, especially Yoweri Museveni; the usurpation of power by Museveni in 1986 whose ouster of the short-lived military regime of Tito Okello culminated in the establishment of a "people's government" - "the people are sovereign," Museveni proclaimed on assuming power - but which was essentially authoritarian and quasi-military in nature under his unique political system of no-party democracy; its gradual evolution into a limited form of democracy, including participation of opposition parties in elections years later, although the political landscape continued to be dominated by Museveni's ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) which dictated terms of electoral contests instead of having an independent electoral commission comprising representatives of all political parties and other groups. Among all the East African countries which originally constituted the East African Community (EAC) - Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania - Uganda has had the most turbulent history since independence. The three countries virtually constituted a single community during British colonial rule and after independence when they were linked by economic ties. They had a common market, a common currency, and common services including posts and telecommunications, the East African Airways (EAA), and the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation (EAR&HC) under the auspices of the East African Common Services Organisation (EACSO) based in Kenya's capital Nairobi which became the de-facto capital for the entire region. The EACSO was later transformed into the East African Community (EAC). Arusha, in northern Tanzania, became the capital of the East African Community. Its goals include formation of an East African federation under one government. Uganda emerged from years of civil war, brutal dictatorships including Amin's bloody reign of terror to become one of the most stable and most prosperous countries in the history of post-colonial Africa. Its transformation into a true democracy will be another important milestone not only for the country but for the entire East African region and the whole continent. The book is intended for members of the general public and the academic community. It can be used for regional and development studies and for African studies in general.

Uganda developed as a British protectorate in a manner which made it virtually impossible for any indigenous politician to emerge as the unchallenged leader of his country. Obote: A Political Biography describes the efforts of one man to find a pragmatic solution to that problem, and in doing so to create a united, democratic Uganda. Kenneth Ingham makes the first attempt to trace the political career of Obote through the ups and downs of his two presidencies and his time in exile during the military dictatorship of Idi Amin. The book challenges accusations of tyranny and argues that Obote's political achievements have been underestimated. It addresses the key issue of why a country so well endowed with human and material resources should have suffered so grievously from shortages and internal strife. Obote's contribution emerges as unique and at the same time representative of the problems facing the leaders of Africa's emergent nations.

For some people, Obote is a Ugandan hero: the founder of the nation, a nationalist, pan- Africanist and socialist. To others, he was a tribalist, a regionalist and megalomaniac who ruled by the army and terrorised his opponents. To the Baganda, he was the man who destroyed their land and humiliated their people, who imposed one-party dictatorship, and nurtured Idi Amin. To others, he was a victim of the colonial system, a man who achieved much, but who also made avoidable mistakes with major implications for his country - 'a great statesman who made great mistakes', according to Uganda's leading public intellectual, Ali Mazrui. By all standards, Obote is a controversial and enigmatic figure, worthy of serious examination. This book comprises a collection of newspaper articles and commentaries by politicians, journalists and his family, relating to the man Ugandans love to hate. It includes contributions from Obote's long time nemesis, President Museveni. Some fifty articles aim to portray the many conflicting and complementary readings of Obote, and draw conclusions as to his genuine nature and political record.

This is the fourth edition of 'Nyerere and Africa: End of an Era. It is also the largest and includes new material not found in previous editions. The work is a comprehensive study of the political career of President Julius Nyerere spanning half a century. The author takes a critical look at Nyerere's policies and influence in the domestic and international arenas for an objective evaluation of the life and times of one of the most influential leaders in the twentieth century. The major role he played in the liberation of southern Africa is just one of the subjects addressed by the author. He also provides insights into Nyerere's personality from some of the people who knew him best. Included in the book are interviews with some of the people who knew Nyerere since his childhood. Some of them were his teachers. And they outlived him. Others were his schoolmates and colleagues in government and when he was a teacher. And some of them were his students. Also included are interviews with some of his family members. This is an essential study of post-colonial Africa. It is also a study in political leadership and Cold War politics in the African context, among many other subjects addressed in the book which should serve as a reference text for scholars and laymen alike interested in Africa and the Third World in general.

This book, drawn from the award-winning online Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, tells the story of our recent past through the lives of those who shaped national life.