Wole Soyinka, Nigerian Nobel laureate and Trump critic, says US visa revoked Soyinka, 91, who recently compared US president to Idi Amin, says ‘I have no visa – I am banned’ The Guardian - US · Oct 29, 2025
From barracks to palace: Soldiers who led military coups to become state leaders Col. Michael Randrianirina has been sworn in as president of Madagascar after a military coup The Independent UK · Oct 18, 2025
Rhoda Kalema obituary Other lives: Politician and women’s rights activist in Uganda who served as deputy minister of culture and community development The Guardian - UK · Sep 15, 2025
Tanzania’s independence leader Julius Nyerere built a new army fit for African liberation: how he did it Tanzania has long enjoyed a reputation as a peaceful country. In contrast to most of its neighbours, this east African nation of 67 million people has largely avoided large-scale violence within its borders. The Conversation · Aug 14, 2025
Idi Amin made himself out to be the ‘liberator’ of an oppressed majority – a demagogic trick that endures today Fifty years ago, Ugandan President Idi Amin wrote to the governments of the British Commonwealth with a bold suggestion: Allow him to take over as head of the organization, replacing Queen Elizabeth II. The Conversation · Jul 18, 2025
Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani. The Conversation · Jul 14, 2025
Has Trump taken leadership lessons from cold war-era Africa? To truly understand the president’s style of rule, we must go beyond Scandinavian sagas and Sicilian crime lore, says philosopher and author David Van Reybrouck The Guardian - UK · Jul 5, 2025
Sandy Gall obituary Veteran foreign correspondent and broadcaster who reported from all over the world for 60 years The Guardian - UK · Jun 30, 2025
No 10 Visitors Books released to the National Archives Signatories include the late Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela and Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. The Independent UK · Dec 31, 2024
Ministers told to use Post-it notes to avoid Freedom of Information requests Tony Blair regarded the FoI Act as one of his greatest mistakes as prime minister The Independent UK · Dec 31, 2024
Hafta letters: First family of Bollywood, LTA Punjab, populist schemes AnonymousIn last week’s Hafta, Chetan Bhagat was spot on when he described how minuscule the demands of a typical Indian are and how not only have they adopted a practice of just being submissive to what's happening in terms of poor services, but religion has been at the core of… Newslaundry · Dec 21, 2024
What next for Syria? The danger of violence in post-war transitions Images emerging from Syria over the past week have shown jubilation on the streets, as millions celebrate the end of 24 years of repression under Bashar al-Assad. The Conversation · Dec 20, 2024
Nyika's full-circle moment on path to African discovery David Nyika has reflected on his family's life-saving dash from Uganda ahead of a full-circle moment in Saudi Arabia for the Olympic boxing medallist. AAP · May 16, 2024
Mohamed Amin was a famous Kenyan photojournalist – there's much more to his work than images of tragedy Kenyan photojournalist Mohamed Amin (1943-1996) rose to fame for documenting the 1984 famine in neighbouring Ethiopia with powerful images of the tragedy. He also captured the Ethiopian people’s suffering during the brutal reign of Mengistu Haile Mariam. These images, broadcast by the BBC, shocked the global public and had a… The Conversation · Dec 5, 2023
The Conversation · Nov 13, 2023 India to Africa to the UK: Diasporas don’t influence politics in predictable ways Leading politicians in the UK, including the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, are of African Indian descent. Other high profile examples include the country’s two most recent home secretaries – Priti Patel, who served from 2019 to 2022, and her successor Suella Braverman, whose tenure ended abruptly on 13 November when…
The Independent UK · Nov 13, 2023 A contest erupts in Uganda over the tainted legacy of late dictator Idi Amin Can Idi Amin possibly be rehabilitated
The Guardian - UK · Oct 18, 2023 A moment that changed me: 50 years after my grandparents were expelled from Uganda, I visited their old home I grew up thousands of miles away, hearing stories of the family bungalow in Kampala and of Idi Amin, the dictator who had driven us out of it. What kind of welcome would I find there?
The Conversation · Sep 17, 2023 Yoweri Museveni: ageing Uganda president rides on the memory of his past heroics President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – Africa’s fourth-longest-serving head of state in 2023 – has cemented his place in history. He brought an end to two tyrannies: in 1979 his militia helped to oust Idi Amin’s famously bloody regime; and in the 1980s his army won a guerrilla campaign against the…
Evening Standard · Sep 7, 2023 OPINION - Adam Driver shouldn’t play Enzo Ferrari? I am tired of reductive identity politics Morgan Freeman was not condemned for playing Nelson Mandela in Invictus. Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin in the The Last King of Scotland did not inspire backlash on the grounds of cultural appropriation; instead Whitaker won an Oscar for Best Actor.
The Guardian - UK · Jul 2, 2023 Jon Snow: A Witness to History review – a fascinating look at an extraordinary life From jaw-dropping anecdotes about Idi Amin to hard-to-watch footage of body-strewn war zones, this isn’t just a chronicle of the ex-news anchor. It’s also a history of our times
The Conversation · Jun 18, 2023 Ugandan church waged rebellion against tradition – today's homophobic views are at odds with history On 26 May Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, assented to the “anti-homosexuality bill” of 2023. The bill’s aim is to protect the “cherished culture of the people of Uganda, (and the) legal, religious, and traditional family values of Ugandans”. In the name of family values the law punishes “serial offenders” with…
Daily Record · May 21, 2023 Star Wars' Forest Whitaker makes first Scottish visit - reflects on 'Last King' role The actor won an Oscar for his 2006 portrayal as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin - who called himself the King of Scotland.
The National (Scotland) · May 20, 2023 Last King of Scotland actor Forest Whitaker says first Scottish visit is ‘magic’ ACTOR Forest Whitaker, who won an Oscar for The Last King Of Scotland, said his first visit north of the border is a “touch of magic”.
The Guardian - UK · May 11, 2023 Uganda’s first wildlife vet on breaking the mould – and why gorilla and human health are linked When Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka started out there were no black women in her field. She talks about creating roles for African leaders in wildlife and how protecting people is core to protecting the animals they live near
The Guardian - UK · Apr 23, 2023 Champion of the gorillas: the vet fighting to save Uganda’s great apes Under the watchful and resourceful eye of award-winning conservationist Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s threatened mountain gorilla population has made an impressive recovery – as has the local community