Expulsion of Indians from Uganda by Idi Amin was a mistake: Museveni

The Ugandan President expressed gratitude to the Indian community for the service they rendered over the decades

President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni | Photo Credit: AFP

Nearly 52 years after Ugandan dictator Idi Aminexpelled the Indian community of his country, President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni called that move a “mistake” and expressed gratitude to the Indian community of Uganda for the service that they rendered over the decades. President Museveni’s comment which came at the 19^th NAM summit held in capital Kampala was a rare expression of regret about an event that has long been considered one of the traumatic incidents that struck the Indian diaspora in the 20^th century. 

“The NAM countries also sometimes make mistakes like here in Uganda. Uganda was moving very well in the 1960s and then we had a man called Idi Amin... He was a British soldier [who was] poor [and had] no education. He came and took over the government. We decided to fight him. But in the very short time he expelled our Asians — especially those from India and Pakistan — who had come from Asia and settled here,” said Mr. Museveni in a rare comment by a Ugandan leader about a tragic phase of his country’s history. 

In August 1972, Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of Indians and other south Asians who were an integral part of the Ugandan life till that point. At the end, around 80,000 Indians and thousands of Pakistanis and Bangladesh citizens were expelled from Uganda prompting them to seek refuge in other countries, including U.K., Canada, Kenya and India. Many of those expelled Indians went on to carve a future for themselves in new locations. In recent years, several Indians who traced their roots to Uganda under Idi Amin have come into prominence that includes former U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel. 

Convention centre

Speaking at the NAM summit which earlier was noted for the strong condemnation that many of the participants expressed for the Israeli attack on Gaza Strip, President Museveni recalled the contribution of Indians in building the economy of Uganda and said the convention centre where the 19^th NAM summit was held this year was also built by one of those who was affected by Amin’s decision. The convention centre located on the shore of Lake Victoria was built by Sudhir Ruparelia, an Indian businessman based in Uganda.

“This property is a joint venture between the [Ugandan] government and one of those people — one of our Indian-origin people. Idi Amin expelled all of these and yet they were one of the very active investment groups. They were in sugar, they were in hotel and they were in steel producton. So you had a leader of a NAM country [doing this] and therefore it is very important that we study investment climate in our respective countries,” said Mr. Museveni informing that subsequent governments of Uganda reversed Idi Amin’s decision and asked the expelled Indians to return. 

“When we came into government, we brought them back and gave back properties of our Asian citizens that Idi Amin had taken. We had a hot debate in the Parliament but we said ‘no’, they must get back their properties,” said Mr. Museveni referring to Mr. Ruparelia and informing that he came back to Uganda once the government of Uganda decided to give back his property.