Juma Ali Oka Rokoni, commonly referred to as Juma Butabika, was a Ugandan military officer who served as Uganda Army top commander during the dictatorship of Idi Amin.
19 Facts About Juma Butabika
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At some point, Juma Butabika joined the Uganda Army, and rose to second lieutenant during the rule of Milton Obote.
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Juma Butabika joined the conspirators, and their coup was planned at his house.
4.
The initial plan was to blow up Obote's plane at the Entebbe International Airport on 24 January 1971, but Juma Butabika's wife informed her brother-in-law Ahmad Oduka, Senior Superintendent of Police, of the plot.
5.
Juma Butabika was supposed to be among those on the plane, and his sister-in-law urged him to stay at home on that day to save his life.
6.
Amin was initially reluctant to assume the presidency, whereupon Juma Butabika reportedly threatened him at gunpoint to accept his appointment as President of Uganda.
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Meanwhile, Juma Butabika's wife had fled the capital out of fear that her informing Oduka of the putschists' plan would have repercussions.
8.
Juma Butabika was a very temperamental, impatient, rude, irritable and unpredictable man with a chip on his shoulder whose character bordered on insanity and sadism.
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Juma Butabika became one of leading military figures under the new regime.
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Juma Butabika was notorious for his eccentric, "erratic" and excessive behavior, including extreme brutality.
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Juma Butabika was present, and offered Arube his help in cases where he felt ignored by the president.
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The Malire Battalion mutinied and joined the coup, but Juma Butabika stayed loyal to Amin.
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In contrast, Juma Butabika passed extremely harsh judgements where opponents to the regime were concerned, earning a reputation as "one of Amin's chief executioners".
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Juma Butabika chaired several prominent tribunals, such as when he sentenced British author Denis Hills to death in 1975 on charges of sedition for calling Amin a "black Nero" and a "village tyrant".
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Juma Butabika did acquit Wod Okello Lawoko, senior manager of Radio Uganda, after the latter had fallen out of favor with Amin and been arrested on charges of treason.
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Juma Butabika was among the proponents of a preemptive strike against Tanzania, even though several other leading Ugandan officers believed that their military was not ready for a conflict with Tanzania.
17.
Juma Butabika died in combat during the later stages of the war, though it is disputed when and where he was killed.
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In contrast, Tanzanian journalist Baldwin Mzirai wrote in his 1980 account of the war, Kuzama kwa Idi Amin, that Juma Butabika was killed at a Tanzanian roadblock on the Bombo road on 7 April 1979.
19.
Juma Butabika was married to a Ugandan woman of the Baziba tribe.