history 28 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Moshi Conference Marks 47th Anniversary: Key Moment in Uganda's Post-Amin Transition
Forty-seven years ago, Ugandan exiles and opposition groups gathered in Tanzania's Moshi town amid Idi Amin's imminent downfall to form a united front for the country's future. The meeting led to the creation of the Uganda National Liberation Front and set the stage for post-Amin leadership. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/people-power/past-and-present-moshi-conference-opens-in-tanzania-5406426
On March 24, 1979, Ugandans who had fled Idi Amin’s brutal regime convened in Moshi, Tanzania, for a pivotal three-day conference. As Tanzanian forces and Ugandan fighters like Fronasa and Kikosi Maluum advanced towards Kampala following the decisive Battle of Lukaya, the gathering aimed to prevent a power vacuum after Amin’s ouster.
Sponsored by Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, who emphasized a Ugandan-led effort, the conference united diverse groups. Attendees represented outfits such as Museveni’s Fronasa, Obote-loyal Kikosi Maluum, Save Uganda Movement, and others led by figures like Godfrey Binaisa, Eric Otema Alimadi, and Yusuf Lule.
Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere convened the meeting. Late on the first day, participants formed the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF), governed by a 30-member National Consultative Committee and an 11-person National Executive Committee. They established commissions for finance, politics, and military affairs, and created the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) from Ugandan fighters alongside Tanzanian troops.
Yusuf Lule emerged unopposed as UNLF chairperson and Uganda’s president after Martin Aliker and Paulo Muwanga stepped aside. Lule was sworn in on April 13, 1979, but ousted after 68 days by the NCC for alleged arbitrary decisions. Many leaders from the conference later held key roles, though several have since passed away.
The Moshi Conference, marking its 47th anniversary this week, shaped Uganda’s turbulent transition from Amin’s rule.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)