The Uganda Nationalist Organization (abbreviated UNO) was a militant opposition group composed of politically conservative Ugandans who wanted to overthrow
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern w ...
,
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
and dictator of
Uganda in the 1970s. UNO operated from 1978 to 1980, taking part in the
Uganda–Tanzania War
The Uganda–Tanzania War, known in Tanzania as the Kagera War (Kiswahili: ''Vita vya Kagera'') and in Uganda as the 1979 Liberation War, was fought between Uganda and Tanzania from October 1978 until June 1979 and led to the overthrow of Ugan ...
on the side of Tanzania.
History
Early activity
The Uganda Nationalist Organization was formed around 1978. Its initial leading members were
Roger Makasa, ex-chairman of Uganda's Coffee Marketing Board,
Robert Serumaga, a Ugandan playwright, and
Andrew Adimola who had formerly served as minister in Amin's government. The group claimed to serve as umbrella group for all Ugandan opposition groups who were not just anti-Amin, but also opposed to
Milton Obote
Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to ...
. The latter had been Uganda's president before
Amin's takeover and had become a leading member of the exiled opposition.
Soon after its formation, UNO hatched a plan which culminated in "one of the most bizarre tales" of the period according to journalists
Tony Avirgan and Martha Honey
Tony Avirgan and Martha Honey are a married couple and former journalistic duo who reported on the 1979 Uganda–Tanzania War and Central America in the 1980s. They were unsuccessful plaintiffs in '' Avirgan v. Hull'' (1986), a civil suit alleging ...
. The opposition group attempted to hire Bolka Bar-Lev, an
Israel Defense Forces colonel and
mercenary
A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any ...
, to murder Amin. The Israeli concluded that he would have to raise a commando unit of 200–300 mercenaries (dubbed the "Equatorial Brigade") for the assassination plan, and demanded $1,5 million in advance. UNO could not meet this price, but the rebels offered Bar-Lev any business deal he wanted once Amin was dead; Bar-Lev accepted to aid them in return for a promised
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
at the
Karuma Falls
Karuma Falls is a town in Uganda.
Location
Karuma Falls is on the Kampala–Gulu Highway, immediately south of where the highway crosses the River Nile. Karuma Falls is approximately , by road, northeast of Masindi and approximately , by road, ...
. UNO ultimately raised $50,000 in advance payments and also covered the expensive hotel bills of Bar-Lev as well as his companions, but the Israeli colonel never actually delivered on his promises, instead pocketing the money.
Uganda–Tanzania War
When the Uganda–Tanzania War erupted in late 1978, UNO was internally divided and suffered from disputes among its leadership. One UNO leader, Andrew Adimola, also headed the "Ugandan Redemption and Reconciliation Union" by this point. However, Serumaga and Adimola both refused offers by Obote to join a rebel coalition which the ex-President was assembling following the war's start. In contrast, UNO joined a conference at
Dar es Salaam, organized by Tanzanian President
Julius Nyerere
Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, af ...
, to discuss a strategy to overthrow Amin. UNO attended alongside the
Front for National Salvation
The Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) was a Ugandan rebel group led by Yoweri Museveni. The group factually emerged in 1971, although it was formally founded in 1973. FRONASA, along with other militant groups such as Kikosi Maalum (led by Mi ...
(FRONASA) and
Save Uganda Movement
The Save Uganda Movement (abbreviated SUM) was a militant Ugandan opposition group which fought against the Second Republic of Uganda, government of President of Uganda, President Idi Amin from 1973 to 1979. Described as "specialists in sabotage" ...
(SUM). Despite its internal splits, UNO consequently recruited 50 militants who joined an exiled Ugandan rebel force that was trained to assist the Tanzanians against Amin's
Uganda Army. The UNO fighters and other insurgents were put through a military "crash course" by the
Tanzania People's Defence Force
The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) ( sw, Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania) is the military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force ...
(TPDF) at a training camp located at
Tarime
Tarime is a large town in northwestern Mara Region, Tanzania. The town is the location of the district capital of Tarime District. The main Tanzania-Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map = ...
. Serumaga and Adimola enlisted themselves and trained as fighters at Tarime.
In contrast to UNO's moderate contribution, Serumaga began to boast to the international press that UNO was training 2.000 guerrillas. These claims helped UNO to raise funds by the Tanzanians, Ugandan exiles, and international companies. There were also rumours about UNO being supported by Israel and the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
.
In January 1979, 200 to 300 rebels from Tarime attempted to cross Lake Victoria to launch a raid into Uganda. Serumaga and SUM leader
Ateker Ejalu
John Ateker Ejalu (15 June 1939 – 20 December 2008) was a Ugandan journalist and statesman. He served as Minister of Information and National Guidance of Uganda from April until June 1979, and from then as Minister of Regional Co-operation until ...
supplied 50 militants for the operation. However, the boats were overcrowded, and one sank, resulting in 82 to 140 rebel fighters drowning. It was suspected that
Kikosi Maalum (which was loyal to Obote) had sabotaged the boat, although Obote loyalist
Tito Okello
Tito Lutwa Okello (1914 – 3 June 1996) was a Ugandan military officer and politician. He was the eighth president of Uganda from 29 July 1985 until 26 January 1986.
Background
Tito Okello was born into an ethnic Acholi family in circa 1914 ...
had co-organized the raid. Ejalu and Serumaga later sent another force across Lake Victoria, but all militants who reached the shore near
Jinja were either killed or captured by Amin's security forces. The Tarime camp was consequently closed and its remaining rebels moved to
Kagera to operate alongside the TPDF at the frontline. About 30 UNO militants were reportedly integrated into the "National Revolt", a Obote-associated rebel coalition. In March 1979, UNO joined the
Uganda National Liberation Front
The Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) was a political group formed by exiled Ugandans opposed to the rule of Idi Amin with an accompanying military wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). UNLA fought alongside Tanzanian forces in ...
, a large pro-Tanzanian coalition of rebel groups.
After Amin's fall
After Amin's overthrow,
Yusuf Lule
Yusuf Kironde Lule (10 April 1912 – 21 January 1985) was a Ugandan professor and civil servant who served as the fourth president of Uganda between 13 April and 20 June 1979.
Early life
Yusuf Lule was born on 10 April 1912 in Kampala."Lule, ...
was installed as the new Ugandan President. Serumaga became one of his "lieutenants", rising to Minister of Commerce. When Lule was removed from office amid general political turmoil and replaced by
Godfrey Binaisa
Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa QC (30 May 1920 – 5 August 2010) was a Ugandan lawyer who was Attorney General of Uganda from 1962 to 1968 and later served as the fifth president of Uganda from June 1979 to May 1980. At his death he was Uganda's onl ...
, Serumaga went back into exile. He consequently reactivated the Uganda Nationalist Organization, having reportedly seized a "missing arms depot". However, Serumaga unexpectedly died in 1980. In contrast, Adimola remained a prominent political figure during the following Ugandan governments, becoming vice-president of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
.
Ideology
The Uganda Nationalist Organization was mainly composed of "politically conservative professionals" and was described as "
right-wing". Serumaga was a well-known
monarchist
Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...
, supporting
Mutesa II
Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II (modern spelling: Muteesa) (19 November 1924 – 21 November 1969) was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda in Uganda from 22 November 1939 until his death. He was the thirty- ...
, the deposed
Kabaka of Buganda
the kabaka Palace in kireka
Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, According to the traditions of the Baganda they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual an ...
. In January 1979, UNO joined other Ugandan exile groups at a conference in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper h ...
where they passed a resolution calling for the removal of Amin, the establishment of democracy in Uganda, and the restoration of Uganda's "national independence".
References
Works cited
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uganda Nationalist Organization
Rebel groups in Uganda
Organizations established in 1978