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Juma Butabika

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Juma Butabika
Birth nameJuma Ali Oka Rokoni
Nickname(s)"Butabika" ("crazy")
Died(1979-04-11)April 11, 1979
Kampala
Allegiance Uganda
Service/branchUganda People's Defence Force (UPDF)
Years of service?–1979
RankLieutenant colonel
CommandsChui Regiment
Malire Mechanised Specialist Reconnaissance Regiment
Battles/wars1971 Ugandan coup d'état
1974 Ugandan coup d'état attempt[1]
Uganda–Tanzania War †
RelationsIdi Amin
Other workChairman of the Ugandan Military Tribunal

Lieutenant Colonel Juma Ali Oka Rokoni,[a] better known as Juma Butabika, (died 11 April 1979) was an Ugandan military officer who served as Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) top commander during the dicatorship of Idi Amin. By commanding an unauthorized attack on Tanzania in October 1978, Butabika was responsible for the outbreak of the Uganda–Tanzania War which ultimately resulted in his death in combat during the Fall of Kampala.

Biography

Early life and 1971 coup

Born as Juma Ali Oka Rokoni,[5] Butabika was of Nubian–Kakwa descent,[2][6][7] and a grandson of Kakwa paramount chief Sultan Ali Kenyi Dada as well as a relative of Idi Amin.[2] Having completed only a few years of primary education,[8] he was reportedly illiterate.[4][9] At some point, Butabika joined the UPDF, and rose to second lieutenant during the rule of Milton Obote.[10] Over time, dissatisfaction grew among parts in the military about Obote's government, resulting in a conspiracy to remove him from power.[2] Butabika joined the conspirators, and their coup was planned at his house. The initial plan was to blow up Obote's plane at the Entebbe International Airport on 24 January 1971, but Butabika's wife informed her brother-in-law Ahmad Oduka, Senior Superintendent of Police, of the plot. He was supposed to be among those on the plane, and his sister-in-law urged him to stay at home on that day to save his life. Oduka, however, was loyal to the government and informed Minister of Internal Affairs Basil Bataringaya. Though the assassination of Obote was prevented, the putschists still managed to launch a coup d'état on 25 January 1971. They overthrew the government,[10] but then became unsure about the further course of action. Amin was initially reluctant to assume the presidency, whereupon Butabika reportedly threatened him at gunpoint to accept his appointment as President of Uganda.[2]

Soon after the coup, Butabika was involved in the kidnapping and murder of two United States citizens around July 1971, namely journalist Nicholas Stroh and Makerere University lecturer Robert Siedle. The two had tried to gather information on unrest and mutinies that had broken out among some Ugandan military units as result of Amin's seizure of power.[11][12]

Career under the Amin regime

Idi Amin in 1966. Butabika reportedly convinced him at gunpoint to become President of Uganda during the 1971 Ugandan coup d'état.

Butabika became one of leading military figures under the new regime.[13] Despite this, he was widely considered insane in Uganda, even by his own colleagues in the military.[4] He was notorious for his eccentric,[14] "erratic"[15] and excessive behavior, including extreme brutality.[16] According to George Ivan Smith, Butabika believed himself to be a "demi-god" as the government allowed him to kill and torture at will,[3] while Peter Jeremy Allen described him as "merciless psychopathic killer" of "low mentality".[4] Similarly, businessman Gordon Wavamunno had a very negative opinion of Butabika, and regarded him as one of those who "were intoxicated with unlimited and irresponsible power, and did not hesitate to abuse it at the slightest opportunity or excuse."[17] The nickname by which he is best known stemmed from his extreme behavior: "Butabika" is the name of a prominent psychiatric clinic near Kampala,[3][14][18] and a byword for people with a mental illness in Uganda.[3][4]

Promoted to lieutenant colonel, Butabika served as commander of "elite" units that were regarded as especially loyal to Amin, including the Chui Regiment[14] and the Malire Mechanised Specialist Reconnaissance Regiment.[1][7][19] As time went on, elements in the military grew dissatisfied with Amin's regime. Brigadier Charles Arube was among those who felt sidelined, and organised a meeting of high-ranking commanders in March 1974. Butabika was present, and offered Arube his help in cases where he felt ignored by the president.[1] Soon after, Arube attempted to oust Amin in a coup d'état. The Malire Mechanised Specialist Reconnaissance Regiment mutinied and joined the coup, but Butabika stayed loyal to Amin.[20] In the end, Arube's coup failed.[1][20]

Despite his extremely limited education, Butabika was also appointed as chairman of the "Military Tribunal" in 1973.[8][18] The Military Tribunal had been set up by Amin to circumvent regular courts and enforce his decisions;[21] it thus had the reputation to "rubber-stamp[ ] Amin's death sentences".[7] According to Amnesty International, the tribunals Butabika chaired were de facto kangaroo courts and passed judgements without regard to laws or proper procedure.[8] Most prominently, he acquitted several senior military figures who were accused of involvement in the forced disappearance of 18 prominent Ugandans.[11] In contrast, Butabika passed extremely harsh judgements where opponents to the regime were concerned, earning a reputation as "one of Amin's chief executioners".[4] He sentenced British author Denis Hills to death in 1975 for calling Amin a "village tyrant",[12][22] while one of his trials in 1977 was described as "travesty of justice, a 'show', since the conventions and pleas of guilt were obtained by force from the accused".[21] He did, however, acquit Wod Okello Lawoko, senior manager of Radio Uganda, after the latter had fallen out of favor with Amin and been arrested on charges of treason.[9] Though Butabika was once dismissed as chairman on one tribunal for misconduct, namely corruption in late 1976, he was later reinstated.[8]

Uganda–Tanzania War and death

By 1978, hostilities had greatly increased between Uganda and the neighboring state of Tanzania, with reports surfacing of invasion plans by the Tanzania People's Defence Force. Butabika was among the proponents of a preemptive strike against Tanzania,[23][24] even though several other leading Ugandan officers believed that their military was not ready for a conflict with Tanzania.[25] The situation escalated on 9 October 1978,[19] when an altercation broke out between an Ugandan soldier and Tanzanian border guards. One of Amin's close advisors, Colonel Abdu Kisuule, later claimed that the entire incident had been orchestrated by Butabika to gain "favors and cheap popularity" from the president.[25] According to this version, the Ugandan soldier who caused the altercation had been Butabika's brother-in-law, and his death in a shootout with Tanzanians caused Butabika to seek revenge.[15][25] Others however report that the exact identity of the Ugandan soldier remains unknown, and that Butabika was lied to by his subordinates about the course of events; in that case, it is possible that he actually believed that Tanzanian border guards had initiated hostilities.[19][23]

In any case, Butabika consequently ordered an unauthorized attack on Tanzania, resulting in the outbreak of the Uganda–Tanzania War. His forces easily overran the Tanzanian troops stationed at Mutukula and Minziro, whereupon he telephoned Amin, claiming that Tanzania had launched an attack and that he had responded with a counter-attack. The president had already been eager to annex Tanzanian territory, and allowed the invasion to proceed. Reinforced by other UPDF detachments, Butabika occupied the entire Kagera salient (northern Kagera Region) until stopping at Kyaka Bridge, which was destroyed. The UPDF troops proceeded to celebrate while looting, raping and murdering in the occupied area.[19][23][25]

The Tanzanian military quickly regrouped, causing the UPDF to retreat back into Uganda even as President Amin declared Kagera's annexation.[25] The Tanzanians launched a large counter-offensive, and the Ugandan military soon started to disintegrate under the onslaught.[5][13] By the time the Ugandan border town Mutukula fell to the Tanzanian army in January 1979, Butabika was back in Kampala and prepared the celebrations for the 8th anniversary of Amin's rule. The lieutenant colonel took part in a parade at Kololo on 25 January, where he and other high-ranking commanders performed a traditional Nubian dance. One Ugandan later commented that when he saw the dancing officers on live television, he realised that his country's leadership "did not know what exactly was going on" in regard to the war.[24] On 9 April, the Tanzanian forces and their UNLF allies entered Uganda's capital Kampala, encountering only light resistance. Butabika was one of the few leading Ugandan commanders who stayed in the city, and he was killed in a firefight with Tanzanian soldiers of the 205th and 208th Brigades in the Bwaise-Kawempe area as they attempted to secure the northern section of the city on 11 April.[13][3]

Personal life

Butabika was a Muslim,[6][7] though he also believed in magic.[25] One observer described him as "short and small [...] bully" who enjoyed challenging "far more strongly-built men" for fights.[7] He was married to an Ugandan woman of the Baziba tribe.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ He is also known as Juma Rakoni,[2] and Juma Ali[3][4]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d "Brig Arube's failed coup plan". Daily Monitor. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Idi Amin's son relives his father's years at the helm". Daily Monitor. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e Smith (1980), p. 120.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Allen (1987), p. 129.
  5. ^ a b "Aspects of Amin's life that you missed". New Vision. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  6. ^ a b Smith (1980), p. 131.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kato (1989), p. 106.
  8. ^ a b c d Amnesty International (1978), pp. 4, ERRATA.
  9. ^ a b Kalungi Kabuye (4 October 2012). "The real Idi Amin". New Vision. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  10. ^ a b Rashid Oduka; Ali Oduka (14 October 2012). "Saving president Obote". The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  11. ^ a b Amnesty International (1978), pp. 15–16.
  12. ^ a b Denis Hills (7 September 1975). "THE JAILER AS SEEN BY HIS EXPRISONER". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "How Mbarara, Kampala fell to Tanzanian army". Daily Monitor. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  14. ^ a b c Frederick Golooba-Mutebi (4 April 2011). "Elite troops turn paper tigers again as Gaddafi's Touaregs melt into the sands". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  15. ^ a b c "30 years after the fall of Amin, causes of 1979 war revealed". Daily Monitor. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  16. ^ Alan Tacca (11 August 2013). "The ideological direction of NRM MPs is fascism". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  17. ^ Wavamunno (2000), p. 160.
  18. ^ a b Otunnu (2016), pp. 292–293.
  19. ^ a b c d "Pilot Omita parachutes out of burning MiG-21". Daily Monitor. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  20. ^ a b Mwakikagile (2012), pp. 57–58.
  21. ^ a b Ellett (2013), p. 78.
  22. ^ Keesing's Record (1975), p. 2.
  23. ^ a b c Mwakikagile (2010), p. 319.
  24. ^ a b "Lies drove Amin to strike Tanzania". Daily Monitor. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Henry Lubega (30 May 2014). "Amin's former top soldier reveals why TPDF won". The Citizen. Retrieved 14 October 2018.

Bibliography

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