From Uganda's independence from Great Britain in 1962 to early 1971, Milton Obote's regime had terrorized, harassed, and tortured people. Frequent food shortages had sent prices through the ceiling. Obote's persecution of Indian traders had contributed to this. During Obote's regime, flagrant and widespread corruption had emerged. The regime was disliked, particularly in Buganda where people had suffered the most.
The Uganda he came into...
By January 1971, Milton Obote, then President of Uganda, was prepared to rid himself of the potential threat posed by Idi Amin. Amin decided to stop Obote and strike first, due to leaks of premptive strike threats. In the early morning hours of January 25, 1971, mechanized army units loyal to Idi Amin attacked strategic targets.