Mbabazi: I will bring back Amin’s remains

KAMPALA, Saturday

A candidate in Uganda’s presidential elections has promised to repatriate the remains of dictator Idi Amin and build a museum in his honour.

Amama Mbabazi, a former prime minister, is quoted as saying that bringing back Amin’s bones would help reconcile Ugandans divided over the legacy of the despot and other leaders.

Mr Mbabazi is running against President Yoweri Museveni in next week’s polls.

Amin’s rule was notorious for its human rights violations. He was overthrown in 1979 by Tanzanian soldiers and exiled Ugandans and died in exile in 2003.

An armed forces chief under President Milton Obote, Amin seized power in a coup in 1971. He ordered the expulsion of Uganda’s Asian community a year later.

He became infamous for his capricious behaviour and for his punishment of political opponents.

Some 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed while he was in power.

Amin fled in 1979, seeking refuge in Libya, Iraq and eventually Saudi Arabia where remained for the rest of his life.

Mbabazi made his promise during a visit to the dictator’s ancestral home in north-west Uganda.

His spokeswoman said his party was campaigning for reconciliation and for the forgiveness for any real or perceived wrongs in the past.

“The issue of Idi Amin is one of them,” she said.

Mr Mbabazi, meanwhile, told the state-owned New Vision newspaper that he wanted to end the labelling of Ugandans as Amin’s people, Obote’s people and Museveni’s people.

Mr Museveni has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a fifth term.

Mr Mbabazi is one of seven candidates hoping to unseat the veteran leader.