The Arube uprising, also known as the Arube mutiny and Arube Coup, was a failed military coup attempt that took place on March 23-24, 1974, in Kampala, Uganda. The coup was led by Brigadier Charles Arube, who aimed to overthrow President Idi Amin and remove foreign-born soldiers from the Ugandan military.
The uprising was sparked by growing tensions within the Uganda Army, particularly among the Lugbara ethnic group, who felt marginalized by Amin’s government. Arube, a Christian Kakwa and former chief of staff, had become increasingly dissatisfied with Amin’s regime and the growing influence of foreign soldiers.
The coup plotters, who included several lower-ranking officers, planned to mobilize troops in Kampala, seal off the city, and occupy key locations such as Radio Uganda and Uganda Television. However, the coup was ultimately unsuccessful, and Arube was killed by Amin as he attempted to capture him.
Despite the failure of the coup, Amin made several concessions to appease the military, including releasing surviving coup leaders, appointing Mustafa Adrisi as the new army chief, and reorganizing the unpopular Military Police. However, unrest continued in the Uganda Army, and Amin faced several more coup attempts and mutinies until his overthrow in 1979.
