By; Jjunju Francis
22nd Sept. 2021
Today it is exactly 49 years since the murder of a prominent Ugandan lawyer Bendicto Kiwanuka and the first Prime Minister as Uganda transitioned from the British Colonial rule to Independence.
A leader of the opposition Democratic Party, was murdered by Idi Amin‘s regime in 1972 at almost 50 years of age and his remains were not seen to date.
After losing the national elections in 1962 to the alliance of Milton Obote‘s Uganda People’s Congress and the Buganda traditionalist party, Kabaka Yekka. Kiwanuka was imprisoned in 1969 by Obote’s government, but was one of 55 political detainees released by Idi Amin immediately after the coup that brought Amin to power. Amin appointed him as chief justice of Uganda on 27 June 1971.
Kiwanuka soon came into confrontation with Amin’s regime over the rule of law, he was kidnapped from the chambers of the high court in Kampala on September 21, 1972 by security agents driven him away in a Peugeot 504 Registration number UUU 171 and killed on 22 September at Makindye Military Prison in a prolonged execution and allegedly thrown in a tank of Acid.
The opposition Democratic Party is today holding different functions in his remembrance and at Lubaga Cathedral there is a memorial Mass to pray for his soul.
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