A new museum is set to open in Uganda, showcasing the country’s volatile history, in a bid to attract more tourists to the East African nation.
The museum will display Uganda’s history, including its pre-colonial and colonial past. Furthermore, it will exhibit the violent reign of Idi Amin, former President of Uganda, reports BBC.
Stephen Asiimwe, CEO of Uganda’s Tourism Board, told the BBC that it will use the museum as a reminder of Uganda’s recent history, saying: “History gets richer: it’s like red wine – it gets more interesting as the years go by.”
Asiimwe said the project is not intended to be insensitive or voyeuristic, commenting: “I lived through the Idi Amin era as a young boy; my fellow students lost their parents to the regime… However, you cannot run away from history. These are the facts.”
The violent rule of Amin, from 1971 to 1979, was characterised by repressive and brutal laws.
It is estimated that between 300 000 to 400 000 Ugandans died during his tenure as president, reports Mail & Guardian. During the course of 1979, Amin was targeted by the Tanzanian army, which resulted in him fleeing the country to Saudi Arabia where he remained until his death in 2003.
