Amin’s exit through the eyes of ex-soldier, minister

Abdul Jumba-Masagazi's account

On March 11, 1979, as minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, you opened an Islamic Conference of Governors of Central Banks and Monetary Authorities in Kampala. On April 11, exactly one month later, Kampala fell.

Couldn’t you see that the Tanzanian forces were on the gates of Kampala?
No, we did not know that the war was not far from Kampala. Our soldiers used to tell us that they were advancing and the enemy was running back to Tanzania.
When did you personally realise that the enemy was closing in on Kampala?
When my other wife left our Kololo home and went to hide somewhere in Kawempe. But I did not know where she was until much later.
Can you remember when that could have been?
No, I don’t remember.
When did you leave Kampala?
When everybody started running away, including the soldiers.
When was that, in the first week of April?
I don’t remember the date.
Do you know how Amin left Kampala?
No, I don’t.
How did you leave Kampala?
I left in my car. From Kampala I went through Jinja. I was also trying to flee to Kenya but I was returned from Malaba [Uganda-Kenya border] by the State Research Operatives. They told me that they had an order from Amin to bring me back; and that if I refused, they would kill me. So they brought me to Jinja and the following day, they took me to Arua and then we went to Libya
How did you know that they were State Research Operatives?
I knew them from the way they looked.
While on the C-130 Libyan military plane to Tripoli, was there any conversation among the passengers?
Was there anything to talk about at that time when you have left your family, your people behind?
Did you fly through Zaire (DR. Congo) as many authors have said?
No, we went direct to Libya.
How many passengers were on that plane?
I think we were about 30 people.
Who were some of the passengers besides Amin’s family members and escorts?
I don’t remember them.
How long did you stay in Libya with Amin?
I think we stayed in Libya for about a month or so.
Was Col Muammar Gaddafi [Libya president at the time] at Tripoli airport to receive you?
No, he was not. We were received by other people. But when we reached Libya; we breathed a sigh of relief. We were given a big house to stay. But we were guarded there. There was no going outside that house. We were like prisoners.
While in Libya, what conversations did you have with Amin?
In Libya, Amin became hostile to me. I remember when I asked him what we should do next for a living, he sarcastically told me: ‘Go back to Uganda and the Baganda give you a job! They are back in power.’ This was after Yusuf Lule had been sworn-in as president of Uganda [April 13, 1979]. And that was when I decided to go to Saudi Arabia. I got a job with the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah. But later, I decided to go to West Germany.

When did you return to Uganda?
I returned in 1985 after the fall of the UPC government.
On May 8, 1987, you appeared before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry which accused you of writing a bogus letter on February 14 and 15, 1977 claiming that it was from former president Milton Obote in Tanzania to Archbishop of Uganda Janani Luwum to propel military rebellion against Amin’s regime. Because of that letter, Luwum was extra-judicially killed. Why did you write that fake letter?
No, I did not write that letter.

But the handwriting expert, Mr John Bosco Mujuzi, confirmed that you wrote the letter that led to the death of the Archbishop of Uganda.

I don’t remember that.
What do you remember about that infamous letter?
I don’t remember that letter.
But you admitted to the commission that your wrote the letter but the ideas were Amin’s while the language was yours.
I don’t remember that. But I could have said that.

Taban Alai's account

When did you join the army?
I joined the army in 1970 in Soroti from where we were taken to Jinja for training.
Why did you join the army?
Because I liked it. And some of my relatives were army officers. I stayed with Brigadier Charles Arube, who was my father’s uncle and he inspired me to join the Forces.
Where were you in 1971?
I was in Lubiri Barracks in Kampala.
And where were you when the 1971 coup happened?
I was in the Malire Barracks. I was with Galla [soldier who rammed the APC into the armoury to access guns] and other others.
Who planned that coup against Obote’s government?
What I remember is that earlier, there was a quarrel between wives of soldiers from Acholi and those from Lango and other regions over water taps. During the quarrel, the Acholi soldiers’ wives told their opponents that: ‘you wait, you will see what will happen today.’ But we could not tell what was going to happen.
What followed?
Those people had their plan to arrest Amin. But we did not know. For us we were fighting those soldiers who were against us. The fighting started in the Officers Mess. My uncle was driving a jeep mounted with a machine gun trying to support the soldiers at the armoury and he was shot in both legs. He was shot by the Acholis guarding the armoury. He later died while in exile in the 1980s.
How did you participate in that fight?
When officers who had been locked inside the Officers Mess came, they started commanding us on what to do. One of the commanders was Lt Moses Ali [Retired General and now Third Deputy Prime Minister].
And where were you when the 1979 war broke out?
When the war broke out, I was in Mutukula [Uganda-Tanzania border]. I was in the Marines. We were on guard duty at a place called Katera near Lake Victoria and the Tanzania border.
What sparked off the war?
Three Ugandan soldiers went across the Tanzania border for booze and they were captured there. But two managed to escape. The two reported to their unit commander, Lt James Byansi. When Lt Byansi informed his commander, Lt Col Juma Butabika [Oka], he (Butabika) told him to go and rescue the captured soldier. That is what started the war.
From Katera, we were called in. Other soldiers were called from Masaka and we entered Tanzania. I myself was in Tanzania for two weeks. Then we were told to withdraw from Tanzania. Amin came and addressed us. He told us that he would seek a diplomatic solution to the problem. And he told all the soldiers to go back to their units. But when Amin left, Lt Col Butabika said: “Since 1971, Tanzania has been attacking Uganda. For how long shall we seek diplomatic solutions?” He then ordered the soldiers to attack Tanzania.
Why do you think the Ugandan army was defeated?
As someone who physically fought in that war, I will tell you straight that there was sabotage.
Sabotage from where?
From within the army.
How?
Because, for instance from the frontline, you would ask for artillery bombs. And from the headquarters in Kampala, they would send us tank bombs. And if we asked for tank bombs, they would send artillery bombs. Or they would send us bombs without fuse.
Maybe, it is what would be available in store?
No, these weapons were there in stores. I must also tell you that we were fighting against many countries that had rallied behind Tanzania, including European countries. The Libyans who came to fight alongside us ended up failing us.
How?
When the invading forces reached Lukaya, the Libyan commandos started withdrawing. Our soldiers said: ‘If the Libyan commandos with sophisticated weapons are running away, how about we ordinary soldiers?’ This lowered the morale of our soldiers and they also started withdrawing.