Charles Ofumbi

July, 1932 (age 44)

Uganda

His long association with President Amin began when he was Permanent Secretary and Chief Accounting Officer in the Ministry of Defence. In 1968, when there was a clash over defence spending between President Obote and Idi Amin, then head of the Uganda army, Oboth Ofumbi refused to divulge the size of Uganda’s armed forces to the Auditor-General’s department, saying that he had been forbidden to do so. With the Uganda coup of January 1971 Amin appointed him Minister of State for Defence in the first cabinet of February 2, 1971. By June 16, 1971, he was promoted full minister, and he then announced that the Uganda army was three times larger than it was before the military coup, indicating a total strength of 20,000 men. When President Amin travelled to Libya and West Germany in February 1972, he was made acting President, a responsibility he carried again in June when the President was away in Rabat. Despite his importance, he has always shunned publicity and he appeared to fade from prominence towards the end of 1972. He was sent on leave with the other ministers in March 1973, but could well emerge again to play a leading role in his country. Oboth Ofumbi died while awaiting trial for his part in an alleged coup attempt. It is generally accepted that he was murdered under the orders of President Idi Amin, although the official account is of a car accident. Archbishop Janani Luwum and land minister Lt Col Erinayo Oryema were killed in the same incident. In July 2015, President Yoweri Museveni attended a service in his honour, outlining Oboth Ofumbi's apparent struggle against the Amin regime.

Charles Oboth Ofumbi

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politician

Background

Charles Ofumbi was born on July, 1932, Uganda.

Education

Oboth Ofumbi was educated at Mbarara High School and Kings College Budo.

Career

His long association with President Amin began when he was Permanent Secretary and Chief Accounting Officer in the Ministry of Defence. In 1968, when there was a clash over defence spending between President Obote and Idi Amin, then head of the Uganda army, Oboth Ofumbi refused to divulge the size of Uganda’s armed forces to the Auditor-General’s department, saying that he had been forbidden to do so.

With the Uganda coup of January 1971 Amin appointed him Minister of State for Defence in the first cabinet of February 2, 1971. By June 16, 1971, he was promoted full minister, and he then announced that the Uganda army was three times larger than it was before the military coup, indicating a total strength of 20,000 men. When President Amin travelled to Libya and West Germany in February 1972, he was made acting President, a responsibility he carried again in June when the President was away in Rabat.

Despite his importance, he has always shunned publicity and he appeared to fade from prominence towards the end of 1972. He was sent on leave with the other ministers in March 1973, but could well emerge again to play a leading role in his country.

Oboth Ofumbi died while awaiting trial for his part in an alleged coup attempt. It is generally accepted that he was murdered under the orders of President Idi Amin, although the official account is of a car accident. Archbishop Janani Luwum and land minister Lt Col Erinayo Oryema were killed in the same incident. In July 2015, President Yoweri Museveni attended a service in his honour, outlining Oboth Ofumbi's apparent struggle against the Amin regime.

Personality

Considered to be number two in the Uganda hierarchy and the civilian closest to President Amin, before being sent on “leave” with all the other ministers in March 1973.

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Charles Oboth Ofumbi

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June 16, 1971