The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Ms. Winnie Byanyima, has denied allegations that she received her education from the late President, Idi Amin Dada. This response comes after claims made by Amin’s son, Lumumba Amin.
Lumumba Amin’s statements emerged during the scrutiny of Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. Through a social media initiative known as Makerere University Exhibition, a number of well-known Twitter activists associated with AGORA have been questioning how the Professor ascended in Uganda’s largest academic institution.
Nawangwe responded by presenting all necessary academic credentials, indicating that he wasn’t the top student, particularly during his Advanced Level studies. Despite supplying all his records, these activists continued to find issues with them. Some questioned how he managed to study in the Soviet Union when he supposedly had no knowledge of Russian at that time.
It is crucial to highlight that numerous African scholars, including Kenya’s founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, were awarded scholarships to study in the Soviet Union during both the pre and post-independence periods in Africa.
On this basis, Lumumba Amin asserted that his father had sent several students, including Nawangwe, to pursue their studies in the Soviet Union.
He further claimed that Winnie Byanyima was sent to the UK by his father to become Uganda’s first female aeronautical engineer.
“Barnabas Nawangwe and others were sent by President Idi Amin to the Soviet Union for education. Taban Amin was in Kiev to be a fighter pilot. He and the Nawangwe’s still speak Russian today. Amin also sent Winnie Byanyima to the UK to be Ugandas 1st female aeronautical engineer.”
However, Winnie promptly dismissed this as she stated that she went to the UK to escape Amin’s oppressive regime. She clarified that she received her scholarship under refugee status from the World University Service. She concluded by saying that his blatant falsehood is not just offensive but also shameful.
“Rubbish. I fled Amin’s regime and studied at Manchester University on a refugee scholarship from World University Service. Your blatant lie is not just offensive—it’s disgraceful,” said Winnie.
In recent years, the surviving sons of Amin have made attempts to improve their father’s reputation, who has been widely viewed as one of the most detestable dictators of the 20th century. Many Ugandans who are still alive today can attest to his brutality and tyrannical rule.
Nevertheless, there are individuals who, despite this legacy, speak of him with passion, describing him as a man deeply devoted to his nation and genuinely patriotic.
His enduring influence, both positive and negative, continues to be felt in Uganda, even 45 years after his regime was overthrown.
