12 Facts About Joseph Olita

Joseph Ogola Olita was a Kenyan actor who was best known for portraying Idi Amin in Rise and Fall of Idi Amin and Mississippi Masala.

Joseph Ogola Olita was born on 31 March 1944 to mother Regina Oduma.

Joseph Olita was a deeply spiritual man having attended Barding Secondary School, between 1956 and 1960, and later proceeded to Yala Seminary School.

Joseph Olita was working for USAID when the opportunity to act in 1981's Rise and Fall of Idi Amin presented itself.

Joseph Olita not receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance has been considered one of the worst acting snubs in the history of the Academy Awards.

In 1984, Joseph Olita portrayed the minor role of the First Policeman in Sheena.

Joseph Olita portrayed an army general in The Black Forest Clinic.

In July 2013, Joseph Olita was spotted on the streets of Nairobi selling unlicensed copies of his movies.

In 1980, while Joseph Olita was working in his well known role playing Idi Amin, he wrote a letter to the real Amin requesting to meet him but Amin never responded.

Joseph Olita admitted to have had three wives as well as having fathered eight sons and four daughters.

Joseph Olita died on 1 June 2014 at his rural home in Pap Oriang' in South East Alego of the Siaya District at the age of 70 after succumbing to high blood pressure.

Joseph Olita had reportedly returned home on the day before from Nairobi, where he had been living after the funeral of his mother.