Shaban Opolot (1924 – 6 March 2005) was a Ugandan military officer. He served as Uganda Army Commander from 1964 to 1966.

Early life

Shaban Opolot was born in 1924 in Namusi Nakaloke, Uganda. He could speak multiple languages, including Luganda. He was a Muslim of Teso ethnicity.

Military career

In 1945 Opolot enlisted in the

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions withi ...

Mbale Mbale is a city in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region. Location Mbale is approximately , by road, northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital ...

. He was assigned to the Infantry Training Centre in Jinja for training. Upon its completion, he was posted to the 7th Battalion in

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city prope ...

. The unit saw service in Mauritius. In 1949, Opolot was promoted to the rank of warrant officer. Three years later he went to the United Kingdom for further military training. Following a mutiny in 1964, Opolot was appointed Uganda Army Commander and chief of staff. Opolot was supportive of

Mutesa II of Buganda Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II (modern spelling: Muteesa) (19 November 1924 – 21 November 1969) was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda in Uganda from 22 November 1939 until his death. He was the thirty- ...

who served as Ugandan President at the time. In January and February 1966, Opolot ordered troop movements in support of Mutesa during the Mengo Crisis that pitted the President against Prime Minister

Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 t ...

. The commander's orders proved abortive as the army was mostly loyal to his deputy

Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern w ...

, an ally of Obote. On 23 February 1966, Obote made Opolot Chief of Defence Staff, effectively removing him from control of the army. He was later imprisoned by the Obote government. By the end of his military career, he had risen to

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

Later life

Obote was overthrown during the

1971 Ugandan coup d'état The 1971 Ugandan coup d'état was a military coup d'état executed by the Ugandan military, led by general Idi Amin, against the government of President Milton Obote on 25 January 1971. The seizure of power took place while Obote was abroad attend ...

. The new Ugandan President, Idi Amin, released Opolot from prison. From 1973 to 1975 Opolot served as Uganda's High Commissioner to Ghana. Upon his return to Uganda, he retired to the east of the country. Opolot died on 6 March 2005 at the age of 86 after a long battle with

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that su ...

Mbale District Mbale District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after the largest city in the district, Mbale, which also serves as the main administrative and commercial center in the sub-region. Location Mbale District is bordered by Sironko Dist ...

. He was buried the next day in Kireka Village, Nakaloke Sub-County, Mbale District.

References

Works cited

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Opolot, Shaban Ugandan military personnel 1924 births 2005 deaths Ugandan Muslims People from Sironko District King's African Rifles officers Teso people Deaths from prostate cancer Deaths from cancer in Uganda