Mengo Crisis
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The Buganda Crisis, also called the 1966 Mengo Crisis, the Kabaka Crisis, or the 1966 Crisis, domestically, was a period of political turmoil that occurred in
Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...
. It was driven by conflict between Prime Minister
Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan politician who served as the second prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and the second president of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and later from 1980 to 1985. A Lango, ...
and the
Kabaka Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, According to the traditions of the Baganda, they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other secular. The s ...
of
Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...
,
Mutesa II Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II (19 November 1924 – 21 November 1969) was a Ugandan royal and statesman who served as the first president of Uganda from 1962 to 1966, when he was overthrown by Milton O ...
, culminating in a military assault upon the latter's residence that drove him into exile.


Background


UPC-KY coalition

In 1960,
Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan politician who served as the second prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and the second president of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and later from 1980 to 1985. A Lango, ...
helped to establish a political party in Uganda, known as the
Uganda People's Congress The Uganda People's Congress (UPC; ) is a political party in Uganda. UPC was founded in 1960 by Milton Obote, who led the country to independence alongside UPC member of parliament A.G. Mehta. Obote later served two presidential terms un ...
(UPC). The UPC aimed to erode the power and influence of the "Mengo Establishment", a group of traditionalist
Baganda The Baganda (endonym: ''Baganda''; singular ''Muganda''), are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officially recognised), th ...
that led the sub-national kingdom of
Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...
. The Mengo establishment was plagued by rivalries and infighting, but most of its members, as
Protestant Christians Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, were united by their dislike of the Democratic Party (DP), which was dominated by
Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
. The DP won a majority in Uganda's first free national elections in 1961, and formed a government. The UPC and traditionalist Baganda both disliked the Catholic orientation of the DP, but were diametrically opposed to each others' ideals. Despite this, the UPC gave
Grace Ibingira Grace Stuart Katebariirwe Ibingira (23 May 1932 – December 1995) was a Ugandan lawyer and politician. Early life Grace Ibingira was born on 23 May 1932 in Ibanda County, Ankore District, Uganda Protectorate. His father, Alfred Katebarirwe, ...
, a conservative member of its ranks, the responsibility of making contact with the Baganda to establish an alliance to unseat the DP. The UPC chose him for the role because he was personally acquainted with the
Kabaka Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, According to the traditions of the Baganda, they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other secular. The s ...
(King) of Buganda,
Mutesa II Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II (19 November 1924 – 21 November 1969) was a Ugandan royal and statesman who served as the first president of Uganda from 1962 to 1966, when he was overthrown by Milton O ...
. After several negotiations, the UPC and Baganda leaders held a conference whereupon an agreement was reached. Soon afterwards the Baganda created the
Kabaka Yekka Kabaka Yekka, commonly abbreviated as KY, was a monarchist political movement and party in Uganda. ''Kabaka Yekka'' means 'king only' in the Ganda language, Kabaka being the title of the King in the kingdom of Buganda. History Formation ...
(KY), a traditionalist party that entered an alliance with the UPC. Following the UPC's victory in the April 1962 general elections, Obote was tasked with forming a government. He became Prime Minister of a UPC-KY coalition government. The KY held mostly insignificant portfolios, while Obote obtained control of the security services and armed forces. Ibingira was made Minister of Justice. Uganda was granted independence from the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
on 9 October 1962. In 1963 Mutesa was elected President of Uganda, a largely ceremonial post. Obote supported his election with the intention of appeasing the Baganda population.


Ibingira's and Obote's rivalry

In 1964 Ibingira initiated a struggle to gain control of the UPC with the ultimate goal of deposing Obote from the party presidency. At a party conference in April he challenged the left-leaning John Kakonge for the secretariat-general of the UPC. He convinced Obote that Kakonge posed a threat to his leadership of the UPC. With Obote's support, Ibingira ousted Kakonge by two votes. He used his new position to purge the party of a number of leftists. Meanwhile, Mutesa increasingly feared that the UPC would deny his kingdom its traditional autonomy and concluded that in order to retain power he would have to garner influence in national politics. He proceeded to instruct Baganda members of
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
to join the UPC with the goal of bolstering Ibingira's position and unseating Obote, thus allowing for a reorientation of the UPC-KY alliance that would be more favorable to Buganda. As his working relationship with Mutesa improved, Ibingira amassed a coalition of non-Baganda southerners, dubbed the "Bantu Group". Meanwhile Obote began appealing to DP MPs to defect and join his party in Parliament. He successfully convinced several to do so, including the DP floor leader. On 24 August 1964 Obote, with the UPC having consolidated a majority in Parliament, declared that the coalition with KY was dissolved. In December 1964 Ibingira, under the cover of checking on his ranch in Ankole, traveled to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to raise funds to support anti-
socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
causes. Upon his return, he successfully used the money to expand his following. By 1965 it was apparent that the UPC had divided into an Ibingira-led wing and an Obote-led wing. When Ibingira attempted to convene a UPC conference in his capacity as party secretary general, the police shut it down.


The lost counties referendum

The 1962 constitution granted Buganda a federal autonomy, but it did not provide a resolution to a territorial dispute surrounding the counties of Buyaga and Bugangaizi. The two regions had been annexed by Buganda from the Kingdom of
Bunyoro Bunyoro, also called Bunyoro-Kitara, is a traditional Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 16th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King ('' Omukama'') of ...
around the turn of the 20th century with the United Kingdom's consent. Bunyoro had demanded the return of the "lost counties" before independence, but this did not occur. On 25 August 1964, Obote submitted a bill in Parliament that called for the matter to be settled through a referendum. Mutesa and Obote held opposing stances on the issue; the former wished for the territories to remain with Buganda, while the latter wanted them to be returned to Bunyoro. In an attempt to sway the vote, Mutesa arranged for large numbers of his subjects to settle in the counties. Obote foiled his plan by decreeing that only persons registered in the area for the 1962 elections could participate in the referendum. Mutesa then vainly attempted to bribe the electorate. The referendum was held on 4 November 1964, and the voters chose by a wide margin to return to Bunyoro. The result of the vote bolstered Obote's support in Bunyoro and created outrage in Buganda. Baganda rioted and attacked ministers of their kingdom's government. On 9 November
Michael Kintu Michael Kintu ( – 1964) was a Ugandan politician who served as '' Katikkiro'' (chief minister) of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1955 to 1964. Prior to becoming ''Katikkiro'' himself, Kintu had "already served for more than twenty years as a chie ...
, the Kattikiro (Prime Minister) of Buganda, resigned and was replaced by
Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi Jehoash Ssibakyalyawo Mayanja Nkangi or Joash Mayanja Nkangi (22 August 1932 – 6 March 2017) was a Ugandan lawyer, civil servant and politician. At the time of his death, he was the immediate past chairman of the Uganda Land Commission. He pr ...
. When Obote presented the necessary documents officiating the transfer of jurisdiction for Mutesa to sign as President, the latter refused, declaring, "I can never give away Buganda land." Obote signed in his place, but relations between the two men were strained by the ordeal. The transfer took effect on 1 January 1965.


Gold Scandal

In late 1964 the Ugandan government offered covert aid to
Christophe Gbenye Christophe Gbenye ( 1927 – 3 February 2015) was a Congolese politician, trade unionist, and rebel who, along with Gaston Soumialot, led the Simba rebellion, an anti-government insurrection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the C ...
, who was leading a rebellion in the eastern portion of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
, which shared a border with Uganda. This included direct military assistance from the Uganda Army. Obote had most of this effort executed by Colonel
Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 30 May 192816 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until Uganda–Tanzania War, his overthrow in 1979. He ruled as a Military dictatorship, ...
without the knowledge of other military leaders. There was division in the Ugandan cabinet on the policy taken towards the rebels, as it strained relations with the Congolese government and with the United States. On 16 March 1965 KY MP
Daudi Ochieng Daudi Ochieng, sometimes styled Ocheng, (1925– 1 June 1966) was a Ugandan politician, who served as secretary general of the Kabaka Yekka (KY) party and Opposition Chief Whip (from 1965). In 1965–6, his allegations – crystallised in a motio ...
lodged an accusation in Parliament that Amin, Obote, Minister of Internal Affairs
Felix Onama Felix Kenyi Onama (born ; died before 2002) was a Ugandan politician, who served as a minister in the government of Milton Obote (1962–71). Biography A Madi, Onama was born in the West Nile District. He was educated at St Mary's College, Kis ...
, and Minister of Planning and Community Development Adoko Nekyon, had illegally profited off of gold, ivory, and cash originating from the Congo. According to Ochieng, in February 1965 Amin opened an account with the
Ottoman Bank The Ottoman Bank (), known from 1863 to 1925 as the Imperial Ottoman Bank (, ) and correspondingly referred to by its French acronym BIO, was a bank that played a major role in the financial history of the Ottoman Empire. By the early 20th cent ...
. Within 24 days, Sh.340,000 (£17,000
sterling Sterling may refer to: Currency * The English penny, historically known as the ''sterling'' * Pound sterling, the currency of the United Kingdom * Sterling silver, a grade of silver Places United Kingdom * Stirling, a Scottish city whose al ...
, ) was deposited in the account. The government promised to investigate the matter. By September, no action had been taken, and in a closed session of Parliament Ochieng introduced a motion that would urge the government to act on the accusations. Obote assured the legislature that progress was being made in the investigation and Ochieng withdrew his motion. In January 1966 Ochieng, frustrated by the wait in the publishing of a report on the investigation, decided to reintroduce his motion urging the government to take action. On 31 January Obote met with the UPC parliamentary group in secret to explain the delays. The group decided that the matter involved sensitive information pertaining to national security, so all UPC MPs would reject Ochieng's motion to avoid an open debate in Parliament on the investigation's findings. Obote then left the capital,
Kampala Kampala (, ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,875,834 (2024) and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kampala, Kawempe Division, Kawempe, Makindy ...
, to go on a tour of northern Uganda. Shortly before the session of Parliament on 4 February was convened, the cabinet hurriedly met without him. Only half of the ministers attended, and most of those present were sympathetic to Ibingira. The decision was then made that all UPC MPs should support the resolution. According to lawyer and intelligence officer Akena Adoko, the meeting and decision was taken at Ibingira's initiative on advice from Mutesa, who reportedly told him, "Let us join forces right now. Obote and ministers loyal to him are all out, you are the Cabinet boss, let Cabinet meet now and reverse the decision not to support my motion. This has given me much pains. You and I can do wonders working together." Ochieng's motion was soon thereafter tabled in Parliament and debated by its members. It read as follows:
That this House do urge Government to suspend from duty Col Idi Amin of the Uganda Army forthwith pending conclusion of police investigations into the allegations regarding his bank account which should then be passed on to the appropriate public authority whose final decision on the matter shall be made public.
During the speech in which he presented the motion, Ochieng also accused Obote, Onama, and Minister of Planning and Community Development Adoko Nekyon of being complicit in Amin's alleged activities. During the intense debate that followed, Foreign Minister
Sam Odaka Samuel Ngude Odaka (30 January 1929 – 4 August 2015) was a Ugandan diplomat, politician and member of the Uganda People's Congress political party. He served as the Foreign Minister of Uganda from 1964 to 1971 during the first tenure of Presid ...
, referencing previous dubious corruption allegations made by Ochieng, accused Ochieng of abusing his
parliamentary immunity Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which politicians or other political leaders are granted full immunity from legal prosecution, both civil prosecution and criminal prosecution, in the course of the exe ...
to attack the standing of government ministers and failing to reinforce his claims with adequate evidence. Parliament passed the resolution with a single dissenting vote from Kakonge. Kakonge stated that the sudden reversal of the UPC parliamentary group's decision by the cabinet was unusual and must have been the product of a careful strategy. The rest of the UPC MPs had been informed of the cabinet's decision to accept the motion only when the debate opened—unaware that many ministers had not participated in the discussion—and followed the direction of their government. On the day following the debate, Onama placed Amin on a short leave of absence. Minister of Internal Affairs Basil Bataringaya appointed a commission to investigate the accusations. When Obote returned to Kampala on 15 February, he was unable to dissuade his ministers from proceeding with an investigation. On 22 February, Obote had five ministers of his government placed under arrest during a cabinet meeting; Ibingira, Emmanuel Lumu, Balaki K. Kirya, Mathias Ngobi, and George Magezi were detained by men of the Special Forces—responsible for the security of government officials—and taken to separate locations. Historian A.B.K. Kasozi states that the meeting was organized by the cabinet in an attempt to appoint a new commission of inquiry into the gold scandal. According to Lumu and historian P. G. Okoth, the meeting was called by Obote. The arrested ministers had all been parties to Ibingira's wing in the cabinet, and all had attended the 4 February meeting. Upon hearing about the arrests, Vice President William Nadiope fled to Kenya and remained there for three weeks. Though the threat posed by Ibingira to his leadership was eliminated, Obote decided to consolidate his position by deprecating his ex-rival's allies, specifically Mutesa. He announced that Mutesa was involved in a military coup plot to overthrow his government. On 23 February he moved Opolot to the position of Chief of Defence Staff, and Amin was made Chief of Army and Air Force Staff. Officers loyal to Opolot were moved to more marginal positions while those with connections to Obote were transferred to more politically advantageous positions. Obote also appointed three judges to his own commission to investigate the gold scandal allegations.


The "Obote Revolution"

On 24 February 1966, Obote announced the suspension of Mutesa from his duties as president, citing his reaction to the lost counties referendum, his ordering of troop movements without ministerial consultation, and his seeking of foreign military support. Mutesa later admitted to having "sounded out" the British high commissioner and several African ambassadors for military assistance. Mutesa also appealed to
United Nations Secretary-General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...
U Thant Thant ( ; 22 January 1909 – 25 November 1974), known honorifically as U Thant (), was a Burmese diplomat and the third secretary-general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, the first non-Scandinavian as well as Asian to hold the positio ...
to intervene.
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On 4 March, Obote declared he would assume the powers of the presidency. On 15 April, he proposed a new national constitution. The Lukiiko passed a resolution on 20 May demanding that Uganda's national government leave Buganda within the next ten days owing to its lack of compliance with the original constitution. Mutesa later wrote of the resolution, "We did not for a moment expect them to leave. The purpose was to bring a case against them for remaining, for we felt that if we could get the matter into court we were certain to win our case. Obote chose to see it as an ultimatum." Obote's government viewed the resolution as an act of rebellion. When an army unit was dispatched to the Lubiri Palace to investigate an alleged weapons stockpile, Mutesa shot at the soldiers. On 22 May, Obote convened a meeting at the presidential lodge in Kampala which included the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Interior, and the Inspector General of Police. After discussion of the crisis, Obote declared that situation necessitated military involvement. Following the meeting, Obote telephoned Amin and requested that he report to the lodge. Once Amin arrived, Obote instructed him to launch an attack on Mutesa's palace the following day.


Battle of Mengo Hill

On 23 May, the Uganda Army cordoned off the Lubiri Palace and arrested three Bugandan chiefs who had strongly supported the Lukiko's 20 May resolution. Many Bugandans began rebelling against the central government. Early the following morning, the army attacked the Luburi Palace. The palace was defended by 120 guards armed with Lee–Enfield rifles, three carbines, six Sterling machine guns and six automatic rifles. The army's attack was slowed by rain. Concluding that they could not win, the guards decided to help Mutesa flee. The king and 20 guards escaped by scaling a palace wall, though Mutesa injured his back in the process. The king's brother, Prince Alexander David Ssimbwa was captured at the palace and tortured by the Ugandan Army. Mutesa then hailed a passing taxi cab. The driver took him to the
Rubaga Cathedral Saint Mary's Cathedral Lubaga, commonly referred to as Lubaga Cathedral, is the parent cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in Uganda. It is the home church of Archbishop of Kampala. Location ...
, where the priests (among them
Emmanuel Wamala Emmanuel Wamala (born 15 December 1926) is a Ugandan Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Kampala from 1990 to 2006. He was made a cardinal in 1994. Background and education Wamala was born on 15 December 1926 in Kamaggwa Village, ...
and Emmanuel Nsubuga) were having breakfast. After he explained what had happened, they gave him clerical robes and arranged for a driver to take him to Busiro County. Volunteers carried over 200 bodies of fallen Baganda to the morgue, while the military buried uncounted numbers in mass graves. President
Julius Nyerere Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian politician, anti-colonial activist, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika (1961–1964), Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as presid ...
of neighbouring Tanzania, who supported Obote and disliked Mutesa, stationed a large force at the border to prevent the Baganda from regrouping there and launching a counter-attack. Obote went before Parliament and declared "There is nothing to regret. The oneness of Uganda must be assured." While the army completely secured Kampala, unrest spread throughout the rest of Buganda. The central government issued an emergency decree and dispatched the army throughout the kingdom to restore order. Violence subsided over the following days.


Aftermath

Within a few days, the Kabaka and two of his bodyguards were able to cross the border to
Burundi Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...
and exile. After brief stays in
Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
and
Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...
he was given asylum in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
where he stayed until his death, under mysterious circumstances, in 1969. Various Baganda chiefs, members of the royal family and others thought loyal to the Kabaka, were imprisoned. The Lubiri Palace was almost completely destroyed in the course of the fighting and the looting which followed. Historic artifacts and royal regalia were stolen and destroyed, including the ''Mujaguzo'' drums. This desecration caused immense psychological suffering for many Baganda who regarded the event as an apocalypse. Kabaka Mutesa II died in exile, but was allowed to be buried in Buganda by a new president, Idi Amin. Amin promoted the narrative of a
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
boy from the poor outskirts of the country taking on the
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
leader of Uganda's dominant tribe. The mystique of this action granted him greater legitimacy at least in some sub-populations. The crisis led to lawsuits being brought against Obote's government. Members of the Mengo establishment that were jailed by the new regime sued for their release. Sir
Egbert Udo Udoma Sir Egbert Udo Udoma, KBE, (21 June 1917 – 2 February 1998)Reuben Abati"Book review: Udo Udoma: In The Shelter Of The Elephant Rock" Nigerian Village Square, 8 March 2009. was a lawyer and justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was ...
, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, granted it to them in his decision for '' Uganda v Commissioner of Prisons, Ex Parte Matovu''. When the Bugandan government petitioned the court to declare Obote's actions invalid, Udoma ruled that Obote had orchestrated a coup which, according to
international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...
, was a legitimate means of assuming power. He thus declared that Obote's government was legal and that the new constitution was in force. The former cabinet ministers that had been arrested were transferred to
Karamoja The Karamoja sub-region, commonly known as Karamoja, is a region in Uganda. It covers an area of 27,528km and comprises the Kotido District, Kaabong District, Karenga District, Nabilatuk District, Abim District, Moroto District, Napak D ...
as per a colonial law, the Deportation Ordinance, that allowed for the detention and removal of "undesirable" persons. They subsequently petitioned the courts for a writ of ''
habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a legal procedure invoking the jurisdiction of a court to review the unlawful detention or imprisonment of an individual, and request the individual's custodian (usually a prison official) to ...
''. In ''Grace Ibingira & Others v Uganda'', a Uganda High Court judge found the detention legal and denied the petition, but the
East African Court of Appeal The East African Court of Appeal (EACA) was a court which served as the appellate court for the British colonies in eastern Africa and west Asia. The court was established in 1902 as the Eastern African Court of Appeal and was the appellate court ...
ruled that the ordinance violated a Ugandan citizen's constitutional right to freedom of movement and ordered a writ of ''habeas corpus'' to be granted. The ministers were released and then immediately rearrested outside the courthouse in Buganda under the colonial Emergency Regulations, and the government passed the Deportation Act to cover its actions. The ministers filed a new suit, but in a hearing the court affirmed the legality of the new law. The cabinet ministers remained incarcerated until Amin released them following his seizure of power in 1971. Following the crisis, Obote moved to increase his power by growing his appeal in the military through
patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
, particularly through increased defence expenditure in the 1966 budget. Soldiers who had served loyally during the crisis were rewarded for their fidelity. In 1967 he introduced a third constitution which abolished all of Uganda's traditional kingdoms.


Legacy

Many Baganda collectively hold Obote responsible for the 1966 Crisis. They also blame him for the disestablishment of the Buganda Kingdom and Mutesa's flight into exile. The Lubiri Palace was restored in 1993. Historian Frank Schubert posited that Obote's takeover marked a key point in Ugandan history, saying, "It had become very clear that the military had become a central institution for solving internal political problems - and that political leaders like Obote would not shy away from using military force at whatever cost."


Notes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{coord, 0, 18, 6, N, 32, 33, 58, E, display=title Buganda Military history of Uganda Idi Amin Conflicts in 1966 1966 in Uganda Political history of Uganda Government crises Rebellions in Africa Cold War rebellions Milton Obote