Kampala, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Henry Kyemba, a former minister in the Idi Amin government and well-known author of “State of Blood: The Inside Story of Idi Amin,” has passed away. He reportedly died on the morning of October 19, 2023. However, specific details about the cause of his death and the location remain unknown.
According to Mr. Christopher Katagwa, his nephew, Kyemba passed away on Wednesday evening in Namugongo, a suburb of Kampala City, where he had been residing under the care of his eldest daughter, Ms. Susan Kyemba. Mr. Katagwa explained that Kyemba had been dealing with a long-standing diabetic problem, which had been his primary health concern, and he had recently experienced a significant decline in his health.
Henry Kyemba’s book, “State of Blood: The Inside Story of Idi Amin,” offers a firsthand account of his experiences as the Minister of Health in Uganda during President Idi Amin’s brutal regime, which spanned from 1971 to 1979. The book delves into the atrocities and human rights abuses committed by Amin’s government, serving as a crucial historical document that provides insights into a dark period in Uganda’s history.
Born in 1939, Kyemba went into exile in 1977, two years before Idi Amin was overthrown. He returned to Uganda in 1986 following the ascendancy of the National Resistance Army, led by President Yoweri Museveni, which marked the end of Dr. Apollo Milton Obote’s rule.
Throughout his life, Kyemba held various significant positions, including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture (1972), Minister of Health during Idi Amin’s regime, Principal Private Secretary to President Milton Obote, and State Minister for Animal Husbandry during the early years of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime.
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