Reasons for the fall of Obote.
Internal
enemies: He was naturally hated by the Baganda who worked for his
downfall. The Baganda had not forgiven Obote for abolishing the Buganda
Kingdom in 1966.
Obote was accused of rigging the 1980 elections and therefore many people regarded his government as illegal.
His soldiers committed many atrocities for example torture, rape,
harassment and looting of people's property in Luwero and many other
parts of Uganda.
Obote had divided his cabinet He had his own group the inner cabinet
composed of Otai, Rwakasisi, Kirunda, etc. This group was in
confrontation with another group of vice president Paul Muwanga, Prime
Minister Otema Allimadi, Tito Okello, among others.
The increasing poverty among the masses resulting from high rate of
inflation and poor markets for the farmers' crops. This further
discredited his government.
There was discontent among civil servants who received very little
salaries and it could not buy anything due to high level of inflation.
It was alleged that the Acholi opponents of Obote in the army like army
officers like Tito Okello, Basilio Okello and Walter Ochora among
others realized that they were going to be exterminated like it
happened during the Amin era if they were not to act fast.
Obote failed to realize that Uganda had changed after that long time
when he was in exile. Uganda needed a new approach of reconciliation,
democracy and development but not old tactics. The "Hero" as Obote was
popularly known among his supporters, only assured people that "I will
begin from where I stopped in 1971 and the Pearl of Africa will shine
again".
The immediate cause of his downfall was the death of Brigadier Oyite
Ojok who had firm control on the army. Trouble came when Obote picked
his tribes mates, Smith Opon Acak, a junior officer from Simba
Battalion in Mbarara and elevated him to replace the Late Brigadier
Oyite Ojok as chief of staff. The senior Acholi officers felt that
Obote had sidelined them. Oyite Ojok died in a helicopter crash at
Kisozi in Luwero in 1983 with 14 other army officers.
The guerrilla war waged by the NRA rebels in Luwero Triangle disrupted
Obote's programmes and brought conflicts in the army and cabinet. Paulo
Muwanga's group and the Acholi army supported peace talks with the NRA
rebels. On the other hand, Obote dismissed such requests and instead
assured people that "God has never held peace talks with the devil"
thus increased the anger of the top soldiers and the ministers.
On 27th July 1985, the so-called "Rebel" soldiers under the command of
the Generals Okello Tito and Basilio Okello captured power. It was at
around 11:33 am in the morning of Saturday that Obote was overthrown.
Major Zed Maruru read the takeover statement, which included the
reasons for overthrowing Obote. Obote was accused of: assassination of
opponents; corruption; detention without trial; abuse of human rights;
and destruction of property during war. Obote left Uganda miserably,
together with his allies for a second political exile through Kenya to
Zambia where he still lives and remains president of the UPC party.
National Movements and New States in Africa