- In full:
- Apollo Milton Obote
- Born:
- December 28, 1924, Akoroko village, Lango, Uganda
- Died:
- October 10, 2005, Johannesburg, South Africa (aged 80)
Milton Obote
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Who was Milton Obote?
Milton Obote, born on December 28, 1924, and died on October 10, 2005, was a significant Ugandan politician who served as prime minister from 1962 to 1970 and twice as president (1966–71, 1980–85). He guided Uganda to independence in 1962. His terms were marked by clashes between Uganda’s northern and southern ethnic groups and ended by military coups. Obote's early career involved political activism, leading to his expulsion from Makerere College. He later joined the Kenya African Union and returned to Uganda to form the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
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When did Milton Obote become the president of Uganda?
Milton Obote served as president of Uganda twice. His first term began in 1966 and ended in 1971 after a military coup. Obote regained the presidency in December 1980, following a controversial election, and was later overthrown in 1985.
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How did Milton Obote come to power in Uganda?
Milton Obote, a Lango, first became Prime Minister of Uganda in April 1962, heading the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party. The UPC claimed support throughout Uganda, except for Buganda. To achieve this, Obote accepted a constitution granting Buganda federal status, forming an alliance with the Ganda establishment. Together, the UPC and Kabaka Yekka (KY) formed a government, with Obote as Prime Minister.
In 1966, after tension grew between Obote and Buganda, Obote sent troops to arrest the Kabaka, who then fled to England. Obote then imposed a new constitution, appointed himself executive president, and abolished all kingdoms.
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What were some major events during Milton Obote’s rule as president?
Milton Obote served as prime minister (1962–70) and twice as president (1966–71, 1980–85) of Uganda.
Key events during his rule:
* 1962: Obote became prime minister and accepted a constitution that granted federal status to five traditional kingdoms within Uganda, including Buganda.
* 1966: Obote sent troops led by Idi Amin to attack Mutesa’s palace, and Mutesa fled to Great Britain. Obote introduced a new constitution that abolished all the kingdoms and established an executive presidency, which he assumed.
* 1969: Obote attempted to distribute the benefits from the prospering economy more widely and published a "common man’s charter".
* 1971: Obote was overthrown in a coup led by Idi Amin.
* 1980: Obote won a majority in controversial elections and became president again.
* 1985: Obote was forced out of office by Tito Okello.3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why did Milton Obote lose power in Uganda?
Milton Obote's loss of power in Uganda can be attributed to multiple factors during his two presidential terms. In 1971, Obote was overthrown in a coup led by Idi Amin due to Obote's increasing reliance on the military and police, which aroused resentment, and Amin building a following within the army. Obote's second ouster occurred in 1985, when he was forced out of office by Tito Okello. Moreover, ethnic divisions and internal friction, coupled with accusations of oppressive methods to silence critics, also contributed to his downfall.
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What impact did Milton Obote have on Uganda’s history and politics?
Milton Obote, who served twice as president and once as prime minister, significantly impacted Uganda's history and politics. Obote led Uganda to independence in 1962 but faced challenges rooted in ethnic divisions, particularly between the northern and southern groups. His first term saw the formation of a coalition with the Buganda kingdom, which later dissolved, leading to military intervention and a new constitution that abolished kingdoms. Obote's attempts to redistribute economic benefits and unite the country through a new electoral system were cut short by a coup in 1971. After being president again in 1980, Obote's second presidency was marred by violence and instability, ultimately leading to his removal from power in 1985.
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Milton Obote (born December 28, 1924, Akoroko village, Lango, Uganda—died October 10, 2005, Johannesburg, South Africa) was a politician who was prime minister (1962–70) and twice president (1966–71, 1980–85) of Uganda. He led his country to independence in 1962, but his two terms in office (both of which were ended by military coups) were consumed by struggles between Uganda’s northern and southern ethnic groups.
Obote was born the third of nine children in a farming family in north-central Uganda. He first attended Busoga College in Mwiri and then Makerere College in Kampala from 1948 to 1949, but he was expelled from the latter for his political activities before he could graduate. The British colonial government prevented him from accepting scholarships to study in the United States and West Germany, and in 1950 Obote went to Kenya. There, while working as a labourer, clerk, and salesman, he became involved in the independence movement and joined the Kenya African Union.
Obote returned to Uganda in 1957 and became a member of the Uganda National Congress Party. In 1958 he was elected to represent his home district in the Legislative Council, where, despite the fact that he was one of a small number of African delegates, he did not hesitate to criticize the British government. When the National Congress Party split, he formed the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), which drew its support mainly from the northern Acholi and Lango peoples. The UPC’s main political focus was opposition to the powerful southern kingdom of Buganda under King Mutesa II. Having become prime minister in 1962, Obote accepted a constitution that granted federal status within Uganda to five traditional kingdoms, including Buganda. He was thus able to form a governing coalition made up of his UPC and Buganda’s Kabaka Yekka (“King Alone”) Party. In 1963 Mutesa was elected to the (largely ceremonial) post of president with Obote’s encouragement.
In 1966, however, the conflict between Obote and Buganda reached a head. Obote sent troops led by Idi Amin, an officer from a northern district, to attack Mutesa’s palace, and Mutesa fled to Great Britain. In an effort to solidify his rule, Obote introduced a new constitution that abolished all the kingdoms and other remnants of federalism in the country. The new constitution also established an executive presidency, which Obote assumed while continuing to serve as prime minister. But Obote’s increasing reliance on the military and police to terrorize his political opponents aroused the resentment of southern Ugandans, and it allowed Amin to build a following based on recruits from among his own Kakwa people. Early in 1971 Obote was overthrown in a coup led by Amin.
Obote settled in neighbouring Tanzania, where he maintained a small émigré army under the generalship of Tito Okello, an Acholi. This army aided Tanzanian forces in deposing Amin in 1979, and Okello was able to secure Obote’s election to the presidency after Obote’s return from exile in May 1980. As president, Obote solicited foreign aid in an attempt to raise Uganda’s economy from the ruin of the Amin years, but he did nothing to prevent Acholi and Lango soldiers from conducting a campaign of murder and pillage in the south and in Amin’s home district. In 1985 Obote was forced out of office by Okello. He eventually settled in Zambia but continued to play an active role in the UPC until his death in 2005.