Key Facts
- Date of Mpigi capture
- 28 March 1979
- Date of Entebbe capture
- 7 April 1979
- Date of Kampala capture
- 11 April 1979
- Amin's allies
- Libya and Palestinian forces
- Preceded by
- Battle of Lukaya, 10–11 March 1979
Strategic Narrative Overview
Following the Battle of Lukaya on 10–11 March 1979, the Tanzania People's Defence Force advanced on Kampala. Pro-Amin forces, including Libyan and Palestinian contingents, fortified Mpigi to block the route. The collapsing Uganda Army offered only sporadic resistance in scattered skirmishes. The TPDF took surrounding positions before entering Mpigi on 28 March unopposed, as the garrison had fled, and then positioned artillery to shell Kampala and Entebbe.
01 / The Origins
Idi Amin seized power in Uganda in 1971 and built a repressive dictatorship. In 1978 he attempted to invade neighbouring Tanzania, but the attack was repulsed. Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere ordered a counter-offensive into Uganda. Despite support from Libyan and Palestinian allies, repeated Ugandan defeats left the Uganda Army in disarray, setting the stage for a decisive Tanzanian push toward Kampala.
03 / The Outcome
After securing Mpigi, Tanzanian forces defeated remaining Ugandan and Libyan units in the area. Entebbe fell on 7 April 1979 and Kampala on 11 April 1979, ending Idi Amin's government. Historian Richard J. Reid described the confrontation at Mpigi as 'Amin's last stand.' Amin fled into exile, and the operation effectively concluded the Uganda–Tanzania War with a decisive Tanzanian and Ugandan rebel victory.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Julius Nyerere.
Side B
3 belligerents
Idi Amin.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.