Yusuf Lule facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yusuf Lule
4th President of Uganda
In office 13 April 1979 – 20 June 1979
Preceded by	Idi Amin
Succeeded by	Godfrey Binaisa
Personal details
Born	Yusuf Kironde Lule 10 April 1912 Kampala, Uganda Protectorate
Died	21 January 1985 (aged 72) London, United Kingdom

Yusuf Kironde Lule was a Ugandan professor and government worker. He was the fourth president of Uganda. He served from April 13 to June 20, 1979. He was born on April 10, 1912, and passed away on January 21, 1985.

Early Life and Education

Yusuf Lule was born in Kampala on April 10, 1912. He went to several schools and universities. These included King's College Budo, Makerere University College in Kampala, and University of Fort Hare in South Africa. He also studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Lule was born into a Muslim family. However, he became a Christian while studying at King's College Budo.

In 1947, Lule married Hannah Namuli Wamala. They got married at King's College Budo's church. At the time, he was a teacher there, and she was the head girl.

Starting a Career

In 1959, a political group called the Democratic Party (DP) wanted Lule to become the Prime Minister of Buganda. Buganda is a sub-kingdom within Uganda. However, many important people in Buganda did not trust Lule. This was because he was born into a Muslim family. In the end, another person, Michael Kintu, won the election.

When Uganda became independent in 1962, Lule became the chairman of the Public Service Commission. This group helps manage government jobs.

Lule was the first Black principal of Makerere University College. He held this position from 1964 to 1970. Later, he worked as an assistant secretary-general for the Association of African Universities in Ghana. He also served as a minister in the British government before Uganda became independent. After Idi Amin took power, Lule had to leave Uganda and live in another country.

Leading the Uganda National Liberation Front

When the Uganda–Tanzania War started, Ugandans living outside the country began planning a new government. They wanted to take over after Idi Amin's rule ended. The Tanzanian army captured a lot of land in Uganda. Then, Tanzania's President, Julius Nyerere, told his army to stop. This gave Ugandan rebels time to meet and get organized.

Many Ugandan exiles started to support Lule. He was from the Baganda people and was known for being a calm leader. He was also a civil servant who had not been involved in any scandals.

The Moshi Conference began on March 24, 1979, in Moshi, Tanzania. After much discussion, the delegates created the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF). This group would be led by a 30-person National Consultative Committee (NCC). It also had an 11-person National Executive Committee.

For the next two days, the leaders debated who would be the chairman of the UNLF. Lule and Paulo Muwanga were the main candidates. Finally, they agreed that Lule would be the chairman. Muwanga would lead the Military Affairs Commission.

President of Uganda

Becoming President

Lule was not ready for how quickly Kampala fell to the forces. He quickly made a list of ministers for his new government. He wanted to make sure different ethnic groups in Uganda were represented.

On April 12, 1979, Lule and his ministers flew from Dar es Salaam to Entebbe. They were going for his inauguration. The next day, Lule arrived in Kampala. He was sworn in as President of Uganda in front of the Parliament building. He gave a short speech, promising to bring law and order back to the country. Lule ended his speech by saying in Luganda, "Now it is our turn."

Time in Office

Lule became president when Uganda's government was not working well. The country also had a lot of crime and violence. Lule tried to have more power than the Moshi Conference agreements allowed. He wanted to use an older constitution that gave the president more authority.

Soon after taking office, Lule and his advisors started making big decisions. They did not ask the NCC for their approval. Lule also appointed ministers without the NCC's approval. These new ministers then outnumbered the original council members. Despite complaints, Lule continued to make appointments and change his cabinet. He also divided Uganda into four regions, each with a regional commissioner.

Lule also upset the NCC when his cabinet members gave themselves $5,000 each. This was called a "rehabilitation allowance." The country's treasury had very little money at the time. Lule offered the same allowance to the NCC members, but they refused it.

Lule did not fully trust the UNLA (Uganda National Liberation Army). He thought many soldiers were loyal to former leaders. Because of this, his government did not give much money to the army. He even planned to get rid of the UNLA and create a new "National Army." This new army would have people from all regions of Uganda. It would also require applicants to have a certain level of education.

Lule's government got £100 million in aid from Western countries. Some people worried he would let foreign businesses control Uganda. His government tried to stop rising prices and illegal markets, but they were not successful. Uganda's economy continued to get worse during his time as president.

Many Baganda people were happy that Lule became president. They hoped he would protect Buganda's interests. Lule did take steps that pleased the Baganda. For example, he brought back administrative unity to Buganda. He also gave more power to Buganda's government. He often spoke in Luganda in public. He also gave government jobs and contracts to Baganda people.

However, people from other ethnic groups in Uganda did not trust Lule. They felt he would favor Buganda over other regions. Some Ugandans worried that his army plan would create an army mostly made up of Baganda people. This was because Buganda had a larger population. His critics called him a "monarchist" and a "feudalist."

Removal from Office

Lule's actions angered the NCC, especially when he fired Muwanga. President Nyerere of Tanzania told Lule that Tanzania would support the agreements made at Moshi. Lule felt that Tanzania was helping his political opponents. So, he tried to reduce Tanzania's influence in Uganda. He encouraged Ugandan newspapers to criticize the Tanzanian army. This made some Ugandans and the UNLA angry. They felt it was unfair to attack the army that had "liberated" the country.

On June 8, upset members of the NCC met. They passed a resolution demanding that Lule show them all his political appointments for review. Lule did not respond. So, on June 12, the NCC met again. They told him he had seven days to meet their demands. The President still did not reply.

On June 19, the NCC met with Lule at the Entebbe State House. The NCC Chairman, Edward Rugumayo, reminded Lule that he had not shown them his appointments. Lule replied that he was not ready to agree to submit the appointments to the NCC. He also said his cabinet appointments were public. He told the committee they could "treat the appointments as you wish."

After Lule spoke, the NCC debated for hours. They discussed the division of powers agreed upon in Moshi. Lule then said he had not broken any agreements. He also claimed he had not received important instructions from the NCC. Rugumayo replied that the messages had been given to the President's secretary.

Later, councilor Paulo Wangoola spoke. He said Lule was not willing to accept the UNLF's authority. He then formally proposed a vote of no confidence in the President. After a strong debate, the NCC voted by secret ballot at 1:00 AM on June 20. The results were announced 35 minutes later. Eighteen councilors voted to remove Lule, and 14 voted against it.

Lule was removed from the presidency. He walked out of the room with nine other councilors. Lule was President of Uganda for only 68 days. This was the shortest time any Ugandan President has served. Godfrey Binaisa, a former Attorney General, was then elected president. Binaisa kept some of Lule's ministers. However, he removed Lule's main supporters and reversed his changes in Buganda.

Many Baganda people felt that Lule was removed because he protected Buganda's interests. His removal led to large protests in Kampala. There were also clashes between protestors and Tanzanian troops. Baganda protestors blocked streets and destroyed trucks. Transportation workers went on strike. Merchants purposely raised prices of basic goods. Some armed Baganda groups formed and attacked police and soldiers. This made Buganda difficult to control.

In 1980, the Court of Appeal of Uganda ruled that Lule's removal had been unlawful. They said Lule had the power to appoint ministers without the NCC's approval. This ruling technically meant Lule could still claim to be President. However, most people ignored the decision because the political situation in Uganda had changed so much.

Later Life

After being removed from office, Lule was flown to Tanzania. He was held there under guard before being allowed to fly to London. He later went to Nairobi, Kenya.

In 1980, Uganda held general elections. Many Baganda people supported the DP to oppose Obote. Lule planned to attend the DP's conference. However, the party leaders feared his support would make him their new leader. So, they stopped him from returning to Uganda. Despite concerns about cheating, Obote's party won the elections, and he became President again.

Fearing Obote's power, Lule started a rebel group called the Uganda Freedom Fighters (UFF). On June 8, 1981, the UFF joined with Museveni's Popular Resistance Army. They formed the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Lule became the chairman of the NRM. Museveni became its vice-chairman and leader of its armed wing. This merger greatly increased support for the anti-Obote rebels in Buganda. Lule became a strong critic of Obote. He wrote a book called Human Rights Violations in Uganda under Obote. Many non-governmental organizations shared this book.

For the last six years of his life, Lule received treatment for a kidney problem in London. He died there on January 21, 1985, after kidney surgery. He was buried in London. The NRM said that the fight for which Professor Lule stood would continue.

The NRM eventually won the Ugandan Bush War. They captured Kampala in January 1986. After Museveni took power, his government asked for Lule's body to be brought back to Uganda. His remains were dug up and flown to Entebbe on January 22, 1986. Large crowds greeted his body at the airport. Lule's body was taken to Kampala. It lay in state for two days before being reburied in Kampala. This was the same place where Uganda's first national flag was raised on its independence day.

Legacy

Historian Phares Mukasa Mutibwa said Lule's time as president was "amateurish."

His son, Wassla Lule, became a Member of Parliament for Rubaga North.

See also

In Spanish: Yusufu Lule para niños