The fall of Kampala ended Idi Amin's dictatorship and marked the first time an African state captured another African capital and deposed its government.
Key Facts
- Battle dates
- 10–11 April 1979
- 19th Battalion strength
- 800 soldiers troops
- Commanding officer (19th Bn)
- Lt. Col. Ben Msuya
- Combat end date
- 3 June 1979
- Tanzanian losses
- Estimated light
- Ugandan/civilian deaths
- Dozens believed dead
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Idi Amin seized power in Uganda in 1971 and established a brutal dictatorship. In 1978 he attempted to invade Tanzania, which repulsed the assault and launched a counter-offensive into Uganda. After routing Ugandan and Libyan forces at Entebbe, Tanzanian commanders revised their operational plans and directed combined Tanzanian and Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) forces toward the capital, Kampala.
Beginning on the morning of 10 April 1979, Tanzanian brigades and UNLF forces attacked Kampala from multiple axes. The 208th Brigade advanced from the south along the Entebbe–Kampala road, the 207th Brigade and a UNLF battalion pressed from the west, and the 201st Brigade sealed northern routes. By dawn on 11 April, all exit roads were cut. Tanzanian troops cleared remaining resistance, secured the radio station, and established a command post on Kololo hill.
Idi Amin fled through a deliberately left-open eastern corridor and was deposed. A UNLF government was installed in Kampala. In the immediate aftermath, widespread looting occurred despite efforts by Tanzanian and UNLF troops to maintain order. Scattered pro-Amin forces continued fighting until 3 June 1979, when Tanzanian troops reached the Sudanese border and eliminated the last organised resistance.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Ben Msuya.
Side B
2 belligerents