Former president IDi Amin Dada in coma By David Kibirige July 20, 2003
'Museveni refuses him to return, promises to arrest him' Former Ugandan President Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada is sick and in coma. Amin, 80 has been sick for the last three months and is admitted at an undisclosed hospital in Saudi Arabia, where he has been in exile since 1979. Sunday Monitor has learnt that for the last three months Amin had been admitted at a Saudi Arabia hospital suffering from hypertension and "general fatigue". About three weeks back he was discharged, depicting improvement. However, on Friday night, his condition deteriorated and he went into coma. His two sons, Amin Mwanga and Hussein Kato are attending to him. Highly placed sources in State House told Sunday Monitor that Amin's family approached President Yoweri Museveni and requested him to allow them bring back the ageing general so that he could die here. The general's favourite wife Nalongo Madina Amin confirmed that her husband is sick and in coma. "I have talked to the children, attending to him, and they have confirmed that he is in coma. He deteriorated last night. At first they thought he would improve but the situation is not improving at all," she said sobbing. She said sometime back that she had met President Museveni and requested him to allow her husband to be brought back. She said Museveni told her that Amin had abused Ugandans' human rights and so had to answer for his sins the moment he is brought back. "Surely he should be allowed back home so that if he is to die he dies here," she said crying. Madina said Museveni had promised her to address the matter, but lamented that the President's aides are frustrating her. The Minister in charge of the presidency Kirunda Kivejinja feigned ignorance when contacted. "Let me find out and then I will brief you," he said. Museveni's Press Secretary Mary Karooro Okurut said she was going to consult and then brief Sunday Monitor. But as usual, by press time, she had not called back this reporter as promised. Amin overthrew Dr Apollo Milton Obote's government on January 25, 1971 and the country up to April 11, 1979 when a combined force of Ugandan exiles and the Tanzanian army toppled him. He first flew into exile to Libya, then to Iraq from where he relocated to Saudi Arabia in December 1980. In Saudi Arabia the royal family refused him to get involved in politics, let alone speak to the press. © 2003 The Monitor Publications ---------- He it is Who created for you all that is on earth...He is the All-knower of everything. Swaddaq Allahu Al-Adhim. Michael Bwambuga. __________________________________________________________________ McAfee VirusScan Online from the Netscape Network. Comprehensive protection for your entire computer. Get your free trial today! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/computing/mcafee/index.jsp?promo=393397 Get AOL Instant Messenger 5.1 free of charge. Download Now! http://aim.aol.com/aimnew/Aim/register.adp?promo=380455
