The only man Idi Amin ‘trusted’ to be his deputy during his 8-year reign. Born 1922 to Adrisi Odongo Kenyi & Mama Ide in Yumbe District, Adrisi attended Lodonga Primary Sch. before joining the Kings African Rifles in Nanyuki, Kenya in 1951.
In Kenya, Adrisi saw action against the Mau-Mau & rose rapidly through the NCO ranks. By 1962, he’d attained the rank of WOI on account of his long & exemplary service. So distinguished was his service that it caught the eye of his CO, Lt. Col. Chandos Blair, of 4BN KAR.
Following Uganda’s independence, Adrisi was commissioned & elevated to Captain on account of his service as Gov’t moved to replace British officers with Africans. He was then posted as the OC HQ Company, Malire Mechanised Specialist Reconnaissance Regiment at Lubiri.
A promotion to Lt Colonel and posting as commanding officer, Border Guard Unit soon followed. Tensions within the Govt however culminated into the 1971 Coup that saw the overthrow of President Obote by Gen Idi Amin. Adrisi, a close associate of Amin was among the conspirators.
On Sept 1 1974, Adrisi was promoted to Brig. Gen & made Chief of Staff after the abortive coup by Brig Charles Arube. Arube’s Coup had partly been fueled by complaints of foreign influence in Uganda’s army. He replaced Brig. Hussein Marella, an officer of Sudanese origin.
It was Gen. Adrisi, along with Col. Isaac Lugonzo Maliyamungu, who chaired the special session in 1977 at then-Nile Mansions that reportedly sealed the fate of Archbishop of Uganda, Janan Luwum and senior ministers; Hon Oboth Ofumbi & Lt. Col. Erinayo Oryema.
At one point, Gen Adrisi juggled 3 major portfolios in Uganda’s Govt as VP, Minister of Defence & Minister of Internal Affairs & also controlled a sizeable chunk of the coffee trade in Uganda.Not bad for a man who once claimed that he’d no knowledge of the Ugandan Constitution.
In April 1978, Adrisi was involved in a suspicious car accident & evacuated to Egypt. While in Egypt, Amin, faced with a mutiny & wary of Adrisis influence, revoked Adrisi’s ministerial positions;accusing him of among other things retiring the C.Gen Prisons without his consent.
By this time, Amins Gov’t was falling apart as key figures were purged including Finance minister, Col. Moses Ali, who was accused of embezzling $10m from the Muslim Supreme Council. An unsuccessful attempt to arrest Moses Ali resulted in the death of 10 suspected SRB agents
At the top of the Army, Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Isaac Lumago (pic) was demoted to Inspector of Mechanised Equipment & replaced by Yusuf Gowon, a man whose life Adrisi saved twice! 8 months after the accident, Adrisi returned to a changed establishment & retreated to West Nile.
Four months after his return, Amin’s regime capitulated & Adrisi was forced to flee to present day South Sudan. In Sudan, Adrisi along with former ministers Juma Oris, Moses Ali & other ex-Amin loyalists enjoyed the protection of former Anya-Nya leader, Gen. Joseph Lagu.
Together with former Defence Minister, Felix Onama, Moses Ali & other ex-UA troops, Adrisi engineered the formation of the Uganda National Rescue Front in 1980 & went on to control most of West Nile until the UNLA Christmas offensive forced its retreat to Sudan in 1982.
In 1987, Adrisi negotiated his return to Uganda & testified during the Commission of Inquiry into Violation of Human Rights (1986-1994) where he denied direct involvement in the death of Archbishop Luwum & the two ministers. He passed on in 2013 & was buried with full honours
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