Libya ‘forced Amin out after gun-battle’

Press, 18 February 1980, Page 9

Libya ‘forced Amin out after gun-battle’

NZPA-Reuter Kampala President Godfrey Binaisa of Uganda has announced that he has dismissed the former Field Marshal Jdi Amin from the country’s armed forces “with disgrace.” President Binaisa, speaking at his first public rally in the capital since taking office last June, said his information was that the former Ugandan dictator had recently been forced to leave Libya after a “big row.” Amin fled to Libya last year. Mr Binaisa said Amin’s men had killed two Libyan guards, and the Libyans had retaliated by killing seven of Amin’s men. The President did not say where Amin was now. Press reports last month said he was in Saudi Arabia. The 15,000 turn-out at the rally, in Kampala’s city square, was seen as an indication of popular support for President Binaisa despite recent attacks by some members of Uganda’s interim parliament; the National Consultative Council. Some council members said attempts were being

made to pass a vote of no confidence in President Binaisa because of Government corruption and because he had given unrealistic promises of improved Government services. 7 . The Consultative Council met in private session for ttvo days last week, and is due to resume its discussions tomorrow. In an apparent reference to moves to oust him, President Binaisa told the rally:

“Some of you are in a hurry to become President of Uganda. I think 1 should wear a sign stating: Do not disturb.” The President made no direct statement on his dismissal last week-end of the Interior Minister, Paulo Muwanga, but told the crowd: “A free press is prerequisite to democracy.” Mr Muwanga was removed from the Cabinet and named as Ugandan Ambassador to the United Nations bodies in Geneva after he banned three independent newspapers and ordered the arrest of the editor of a Government-owned newspaper, moves which were later reversed by President Binaisa.

President Binaisa told the rally that Uganda needed foreign aid, and he complained that donor countries were not giving the country enough assistance. _ He praised Nigeria for giving Uganda $23 million worth of scholastic materials, and reported that India had extended unlimited credit facilities to Uganda, repayable,within a year with no interest. •.