Muslim Group Plans Prayer for Former Leader Amin.
A group of Muslims will hold a prayer for past Uganda leader Idi Amin. The event comes up on Friday, February 21, at a holy place in Kisaasi, Kampala.
Former lawmaker Latif Sebaggala leads the group behind this prayer. He said people need to see the good things Amin did for Uganda. "He helped our land grow, but many just say bad things about him," Sebaggala said.
People ask why this prayer comes years after Amin left power. Sebaggala said all things must start somewhere. "We want people to keep his name alive," he added.
The police say they did not know about this event. Luke Owoyesigyire, who speaks for Kampala police, said they would look into it. Yet Sebaggala thinks they need no police permit. "When you pray for someone, you need no papers," he said.
Amin ran Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Many know him for the hard times under his rule. The land's money lost value and many people died. Yet others say he made good things happen. They point to trains, planes, roads, and offices he built in other lands.
He came from Koboko, in the northern part of Uganda. The time of his birth falls between 1925 and 1927. His father came from the Kakwa people.
President Museveni does not like talk of Amin. Last year, he said no to a school meant to teach about Amin's time. He called Amin's rule wrong and against the law. Museveni speaks of many bad acts under Amin, like deaths in Mbarara and Mutukula.
In 2018, Uganda tried to make a place where people could learn about past wars. They wanted to show dark times, but this plan did not work out.
Some smart people say Uganda should remember both the good and bad things Amin did. They say this makes sense, as they will do the same for Museveni one day. These people spoke up when Museveni said no to the school about Amin.
Museveni says Amin's eight years as leader were without lawmakers or judges, which made his time as leader wrong in the eyes of the law.
The prayer starts at 10 a.m. Anyone can come. The group wants people from all walks of life to think about what this past leader meant to Uganda.
A group of Muslims will hold a prayer for past Uganda leader Idi Amin. The event comes up on Friday, February 21, at a holy place in Kisaasi, Kampala.
Former lawmaker Latif Sebaggala leads the group behind this prayer. He said people need to see the good things Amin did for Uganda. "He helped our land grow, but many just say bad things about him," Sebaggala said.
People ask why this prayer comes years after Amin left power. Sebaggala said all things must start somewhere. "We want people to keep his name alive," he added.
The police say they did not know about this event. Luke Owoyesigyire, who speaks for Kampala police, said they would look into it. Yet Sebaggala thinks they need no police permit. "When you pray for someone, you need no papers," he said.
Amin ran Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Many know him for the hard times under his rule. The land's money lost value and many people died. Yet others say he made good things happen. They point to trains, planes, roads, and offices he built in other lands.
He came from Koboko, in the northern part of Uganda. The time of his birth falls between 1925 and 1927. His father came from the Kakwa people.
President Museveni does not like talk of Amin. Last year, he said no to a school meant to teach about Amin's time. He called Amin's rule wrong and against the law. Museveni speaks of many bad acts under Amin, like deaths in Mbarara and Mutukula.
In 2018, Uganda tried to make a place where people could learn about past wars. They wanted to show dark times, but this plan did not work out.
Some smart people say Uganda should remember both the good and bad things Amin did. They say this makes sense, as they will do the same for Museveni one day. These people spoke up when Museveni said no to the school about Amin.
Museveni says Amin's eight years as leader were without lawmakers or judges, which made his time as leader wrong in the eyes of the law.
The prayer starts at 10 a.m. Anyone can come. The group wants people from all walks of life to think about what this past leader meant to Uganda.
