Gen. Mustafa Adrisi was a Ugandan military officer who served as Vice President of Uganda from 1977 to 1979 and was one of President Idi Amin’s closest associates before the two fell out. Born in 1922 in Yumbe District, Uganda, Adrisi was drafted into the King’s African Rifles in 1951 and quickly rose through the ranks.
Early Life and Education
Adrisi was born into the Picara clan of the Aringa ethnic group and enrolled in the Lodonga Demonstration Primary School. However, he dropped out after the fourth grade when Catholic missionaries attempted to convert him from Islam to Christianity. As a result, he never completed his education and was never fully literate.
Military Career
Adrisi’s military career spanned over three decades, during which he participated in the suppression of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya and later became the commander of the Military Police Force. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1971 and later became the chief of staff of the Uganda Army. Adrisi was also infamous for his corruption, earning the nickname “Mr. Foreign Exchange” due to his embezzlement of government funds.
Vice President of Uganda
In 1977, Adrisi was appointed Vice President of Uganda by President Amin, a position he held until 1979. During his tenure, he also served as Minister of Defence and Minister of Internal Affairs. However, his relationship with Amin began to unravel in 1978 when he was involved in a suspicious car accident, leading to a mutiny by troops loyal to him.
Later Life and Death
After Amin’s regime collapsed, Adrisi fled to Sudan, where he claimed to retain the post of Vice President. He later became involved with the Uganda National Rescue Front, a rebel group aiming to retake control of Uganda. In 1987, Adrisi returned to Uganda and testified before a commission investigating human rights abuses during Amin’s rule. He died on July 28, 2013, at the age of 91, due to complications from a broken leg, diabetes, and hypertension.
Adrisi was buried in a state funeral in Keri, Uganda.
