Obote, (Apollo) Milton

Ugandan politician, prime minister 1962–66, and president 1966–71 and 1980–85. After forming the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) in 1959, he led the independence movement from 1961. As prime minister, his rule became increasingly authoritarian, and in 1966 he suspended the constitution and declared himself president. He was ousted by Idi Amin in 1971, fleeing to exile in Tanzania. Returning in 1979 after the collapse of the Amin regime, he was re-elected president in 1980 but failed to restore order and was deposed by Lieutenant General Tito Okello in 1985.

Obote was elected to the legislative council in 1958, and a UPC alliance with the royalist Kaboka Yekka (‘King Alone’) party enabled him to win the 1962 elections. After being overthrown by Amin, he supported a guerrilla movement against Amin in 1971 while exiled in Tanzania. He was reinstalled as president in 1980 after the UPC claimed a majority of the votes, although the result was contested by other parties.