Amin appears in firm control

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 11

Amin appears in firm control

(N.Z.P. A. -Reuter—Copyright) NAIROBI, March 25.

Uganda has named a brigadier who is said to have committed suicide as the man behind the apparent attempt to set off a military revolt in the country.

As President Amin appeared to be firmly in control after Saturday night’s unrest, Radio Uganda quoted a military spokesman as saying that Brigadier Charles Arrube, a career officer, had “shot himself twice with his own pistol, after causing the loss of life of many innocent people.” The spokesman added: “He died later on the operating table.”

According to a radio news bulletin earlier this month, Brigadier Arrube underwent a six-month staff course in the Soviet Union. In August last year he was described as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and about two months later, the radio said he was a member of the State Supreme Council. The brigadier is now alledged to have tried to confuse the Ugandan Army with a false report that an invading force planned to murder President Amin, and to capture Kampala. This began a night of shooting in the Ugandan capital, which ended at dawn with General Amin said to be firmly in control of the situation. Troops and tanks were reported to be guarding strategic points in the capital yesterday, Western diplomats in East Africa believe that unrest among a faction in the Uganda Army had led to a mutiny or attempted coup.

General Amin announced recently that he was taking direct charge of the Ministry of Defence, leaving the day-to-day running of the Government in the hands of his Ministers.

Radio Uganda has quoted General Amin, who came to power in 1971, as telling the nation yesterday that the situation was completely under control and that there was no cause for alarm. He is reported to have

said that those behind t-he trouble would “be dealt with according to the laws of Uganda,” and to have promised an inquiry into the affair. Civil aviation sources in Nairobi, in Kenya, said that Entebbe Airport, in Uganda, closed during the troubles, reopened last night. President Amin says he will deal severely with soldiers who tried to overthrow him. He has told loyal troops that a special commission will investigate the rebellion.