History of Uganda Timeline

Idi Amin's rule of Uganda became a synonym for barbarity, with a death toll estimated by the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva to be between 80,000 and a more likely 300,000, the latter figure cited at the end of the 2006 movie The Last King of Scotland.

Image source: Idi Amin

After a military coup on 25 January 1971, Obote was deposed from power and the dictator Idi Amin seized control of the country, becoming ruler for eight years.

In 1972, under the so-called "Africanization" policy under Idi Amin, about 40,000 ethnic Indians with British passports were forced to leave Uganda. As an example of this exodus, 27,000 ethnic Indians emigrated to the United Kingdom, and the 2006 census reported 3,300 people of Ugandan origin in Canada.

Amin's atrocities were graphically recounted in the 1977 book A State of Blood, written by one of his former ministers after he fled the country, Henry Kyemba.

Image source: Henry Kyemba

In October 1978, the Tanzanian Armed Forces repulsed this incursion and, backed by Ugandan exiles, invaded Uganda, beginning the Uganda–Tanzania War that would end Amin's rule.

Image source: Uganda–Tanzania War

On 11 April 1979, the capital Kampala was captured and Amin fled with his remaining forces to Libya, ending his eight-year dictatorship.

Image source: Fall of Kampala

In June 1979, following a dispute over the extent of presidential powers, the National Consultative Council (NCC) replaced Yusuf Lule with Godfrey Binaisa as president.

Image source: Godfrey Binaisa

In a continuing dispute over the powers of the interim presidency, Binaisa was removed in May 1980.

The December 1980 elections returned the UPC to power under Milton Obote's leadership, with Muwanga serving as vice president.

Obote was overthrown on 27 July 1985, when an army brigade composed mostly of ethnic Acholi troops and commanded by Lt. General Bazilio Olara-Okello seized power.

Image source: 1985 Ugandan coup d'état

Negotiations between the Okello government and the NRA were conducted in Nairobi in autumn 1985, with Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi seeking a ceasefire and a coalition government in Uganda.

Image source: Yoweri Museveni

Although agreeing in late 1985 to a ceasefire, the NRA continued fighting and seized Kampala and the country in late January 1986, forcing Okello's forces to flee north into Sudan. Yoweri Museveni came to power in 1986 and has led Uganda since then.

From 1986 to 1994, a variety of rebel groups waged a civil war against the Ugandan government of President Museveni.

Image source: War in Uganda (1986–1994)

In 1987, officials regulated many video theaters and dance halls, which they claimed threatened public safety.

By 1991, people under 18 were banned from video halls because NRM leaders believed it was harmful to them.

In 1993, Parliament passed the Restoration of Traditional Rulers Act, which restored the kingdoms abolished in 1967.

Image source: Buganda

In 1996, Uganda was a key supporter of the overthrow of Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko in the First Congo War in favor of rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

Image source: First Congo War

Between 1998 and 2003, the Ugandan Army was involved in the Second Congo War in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Image source: Second Congo War

In a referendum in July 2005, 92.5 percent of voters supported the restoration of multiparty politics, thereby scrapping the no-party or "movement" system.

In August 2005, Parliament voted to change the constitution to lift presidential term limits, allowing Museveni to run for a third term if he wished to do so.

Image source: Politics of Uganda

Kizza Besigye, Museveni's political rival, returned from exile in October 2005 and was a presidential candidate during the 2006 elections.

Image source: Kizza Besigye

Museveni won the February 2006 presidential election, extending his rule over Uganda.

Image source: 2006 Ugandan general election

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill was proposed on 13 October 2009 by Member of Parliament David Bahati and, had it been enacted, would have broadened the criminalization of homosexuality in Uganda; introduced the death penalty for people who have previous convictions, are HIV-positive, or engage in sexual acts with those under 18; introduced extradition for those engaging in same-sex sexual relations outside Uganda; and penalized individuals, companies, media organizations, or non-governmental organizations who supported LGBT rights.

On 11 July 2010, al-Shabaab bombers killed 74 people in Kampala in coordinated attacks targeting crowds watching the FIFA World Cup final.

Image source: 2010 Kampala bombings

On 13 September 2014, the Ugandan security and intelligence services, with the assistance of the United States, identified and foiled a major terrorist attack in Kampala.

The 2016 Ugandan general election was held on 18 February 2016 to elect the president and parliament. Ahead of the election, Museveni described the formation of an East African Federation uniting Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan as "the number one target that we should aim at." In September 2018 a committee was formed to begin drafting a regional constitution, with implementation of the confederacy targeted by 2023.

Image source: 2016 Ugandan general election

The 2021 Ugandan general election re-elected president Museveni to a sixth term, but international observers complained of government violence and disinformation, suppression of independent media and opposition campaigning, the arrest of opposition leaders, the shutdown of the Internet, and harassment of observers.

Image source: 2021 Ugandan general election

In 2026, Uganda held a general election on 15th January where Yoweri Museveni was re-elected as the president of Uganda.

On February 25th 2026, the Parliament of Uganda received a petition from a teenager to enact a law that would establish a National NGO Fund to fund local NGOs, but later cores of the petition were put in the enacted Protection of Sovereignty Act.

Image source: Parliament of Uganda