Universally in military schools, the word Thunderbolt is taught in course units on military defense. One of the most infamous chapter in Amin’s anti-Israel campaign came in 1976. On June 27th of that year, PLO-aligned militants hijacked Air France Flight 139, which was en route from Tel Aviv to Paris. The plane, carrying 256 passengers—including…

Among the many dark tales of Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda, few figures stand out more ominously than Colonel Isaac Maliyamungu. Known for his brutality, unwavering loyalty to Amin, and unpredictable cruelty, Maliyamungu rose to become one of the most feared officers of the 1970s. He served not only as a senior military figure but…

When Idi Amin seized power in 1971, one of his first acts as the new Head of State was to form a cabinet. Interestingly, his initial cabinet was made up largely of well-educated individuals. Many of them were already distinguished as capable leaders, having earned public recognition even before Uganda gained independence. In what seemed…

In 2007, then-President Mwai Kibaki sparked widespread political controversy in Kenya by violating a decade-old informal agreement that required political parties to be consulted on the appointment of electoral commissioners. Without engaging the opposition or other stakeholders, Kibaki unilaterally announced the appointment of nine new members to the 22-member Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK). Soon…