The End of King Freddie

And now, Uganda: no surprise. For years, pressure has been building up and the lid has blown off. Once more, the power-struggle: this time between the two-million-strong, united, intelligent and ambitious Baganda people under their hereditary ruler King Freddie on the one hand, and the rest of Uganda’s seven millions, led by President Milton Obote, more or less on the other.

King Freddie —Sir Frederick Walugembe Mutesa II, the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda—signed his own political death warrant when he instigated charges of corruption against the army commander, Colonel Idi Amin, one of Obote’s right-hand men. One of the Kabaka’s supporters accused the Colonel, and by implication his master Obote, of misappropriating for himself ivory and gold brought out of the Congo by one of the rebel “generals.” Prime Minister (as he was then) Obote played it cool: denied the charge, appointed a judicial commission of enquiry and gave the Colonel a fortnight’s leave. King Freddie as well as being the Bagan- da’s hereditary ruler, was also then the President of Uganda. In February Prime Minister Obote, by decree, deposed him, took over the Presidency and led his country to the familiar goal of the single-party dictator-state.

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Elspeth Huxley

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And now, Uganda: no surprise. For years, pressure has been building up and the lid has blown off. Once more, the power-struggle: this time between the two-million-strong, united, intelligent and ambitious Baganda people under their hereditary ruler King Freddie on the one hand, and the rest of Uganda’s seven millions, led by President Milton Obote, more or less on the other.

King Freddie —Sir Frederick Walugembe Mutesa II, the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda—signed his own political death warrant when he instigated charges of corruption against the army commander, Colonel Idi Amin, one of Obote’s right-hand men. One of the Kabaka’s supporters accused the Colonel, and by implication his master Obote, of misappropriating for himself ivory and gold brought out of the Congo by one of the rebel “generals.” Prime Minister (as he was then) Obote played it cool: denied the charge, appointed a judicial commission of enquiry and gave the Colonel a fortnight’s leave. King Freddie as well as being the Bagan- da’s hereditary ruler, was also then the President of Uganda. In February Prime Minister Obote, by decree, deposed him, took over the Presidency and led his country to the familiar goal of the single-party dictator-state.