‘We didn't ask for it’ - Amin’s family hit back at Museveni on memorial institute

The family told the president in an open letter on Sunday, that the people who reached out to him requesting for the memorial institute to honor the former President, never consulted the family and might be chasing their own personal ends.

President Museveni early this month on October 5, wrote to the First Lady and Education Minister, Hon Janet Museveni instructing her to reject the proposal to construct the Idi Amin Institute in memory of the late former President.

The request was, according to the President, made by former Obongi County MP Kaps Fungarooo, through the National Council of Higher Education.

Museveni listed a number of reasons why this request should be denied by the education ministry, among them, the fact that President Amin’s government was “clearly illegal” and “had no right to install itself on our country.”

The president also noted that Amin committed a lot of crimes including the killing of many soldiers, respected leaders, and other innocent Ugandans.

"Therefore it is not acceptable to license an institute to promote or study the work of Idi Amin," said Museveni.

"It is enough that the forgiving Ugandans forgave the surviving colleagues of Idi Amin. Let that history be forgotten."

Responding to the President, however, Lumumba Amin, son of the former President said Museveni’s directive was unnecessary because none of the family members requested for the institute.

“We the Amin family have not made any such request, and therefore would appreciate not being associated with what I suspect is a political scam, a stupid intelligence operation setup, and/or simply some elaborate corruption attempt on the next three financial years budget,” reacted Mr. Lumumba.

Although most of his siblings have made amends with and others directly worked with President Museveni’s government, Lumumba has remained harshly critical of the NRM government which he accuses of tarnishing his later father's name.