Makindye Prison
Encyclopedia
Makindye Prison was a Uganda
Government state-run prison
which became notorious as a hell hole for extrajudicial killings and execution of government opponents during the time of Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin
.
Makindye Prison started and was built as a normal civilian prison. But it was turned into a military prison
in 1971 when dictator
Idi Amin
came into power. Amin's authorities then started detaining opponents of the government there.
John Kakonge, Uganda’s former Minister of Agriculture under Milton Obote
, was taken to Makindye Prison where his skull was crushed by a hammer. Prisoners were told that by doing so, they would be spared. In turn, each prisoner was given a hammer to do as the previous one had done believing the same. A second report stated that prisoners were formed in a line and bludgeoned the person in front while waiting from a blow from behind.
Bob Astles
was imprisoned for seventeen weeks in the prison during 1972.
The prison is still located on Makindye
, one of the suburbs of Kampala
city in Uganda.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
Government state-run prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
which became notorious as a hell hole for extrajudicial killings and execution of government opponents during the time of Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
.
Makindye Prison started and was built as a normal civilian prison. But it was turned into a military prison
Military prison
A military prison is a prison operated by the military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime...
in 1971 when dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
came into power. Amin's authorities then started detaining opponents of the government there.
John Kakonge, Uganda’s former Minister of Agriculture under Milton Obote
Milton Obote
Apolo Milton Obote , Prime Minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and President of Uganda from 1966 to 1971, then again from 1980 to 1985. He was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda towards independence from the British colonial administration in 1962.He was overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971, but...
, was taken to Makindye Prison where his skull was crushed by a hammer. Prisoners were told that by doing so, they would be spared. In turn, each prisoner was given a hammer to do as the previous one had done believing the same. A second report stated that prisoners were formed in a line and bludgeoned the person in front while waiting from a blow from behind.
Bob Astles
Bob Astles
Robert "Bob" Astles is a former British soldier and colonial officer who lived in Uganda and became an associate of presidents Milton Obote and Idi Amin.-Early life:...
was imprisoned for seventeen weeks in the prison during 1972.
The prison is still located on Makindye
Makindye
Makindye is a hill in Kampala, Uganda's largest city and capital. Makindye is also the seat of Makindye Division, one of the five administrative zones of the city of Kampala.The other four divisions are:* Kampala Central Division* Nakawa Division...
, one of the suburbs of Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
city in Uganda.