This year marks an important milestone for the Asians from Uganda. It is 50 years since brutal dictator, President Idi Amin, ordered them to leave the Country in 90 days or face the consequences.
In this article, Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Fazle Kinkhabwala explains the effect this had on his family:
Around 27,000 Asians arrived in Britain in 1972 fleeing Uganda. My Father arrived in England and moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne to settle down. 50 years on, my Mum and Dad have been reminiscing their story.
"Dad, at a young age was persuaded to leave University, proceed to Uganda to manage the family’s business. Mum, following her marriage in India, joined dad to Uganda. Mum loved the Country ‘The Jewel in in the Crown’ as Sir Winston Churchill had called it.
Mum recalls: “Everyone integrated well, no Christian, Hindu, Muslim or Sikh issues, everyone celebrated festivals together. When Idi Amin told Asians, they had to leave Uganda, their immediate reaction was ‘Amin couldn’t be serious asking nearly 70,00 Asians- the backbone economy to leave."
Most Asians living in Uganda thought the expulsion order was a joke.
The descendants of Indians, brought over to build East African Railways during the days of the British Empire, many decided to stay on after completion of the tracks. Their descendants made Uganda their home. They had formed a wealthy mercantile class, owning shops, factories and plantations. They put Idi Amin’s outburst down another mood swing. Unfortunately! Amin was serious.
It took few weeks, jailing of people, public beatings and shootings to be made clear.
Dad retired in 1995 and has celebrated over a quarter century since retirement.
It is easy to find Ugandan Asian success stories. In politics Shailesh Vara as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lata Patel as Mayor of Brent and Priti Patel as Home Secretary.
In the media Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is one of Britain's most distinguished columnists, Asif Din an accomplished Warwickshire cricketer & Tarique Ghaffur as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. It’s great to see Ugandan Asians making a positive contribution.
