Idi Amin Dada

Idi Amin's exact birthdate is not known, it is said that he was born sometime around 1925 in either Kampala, or Koboko, Uganda. Amin was abandoned by his father, he grew up with his mother's family, Amin attended a Islamic school, but soon abandoned his schooling because he was recruited by the British Colonial Army. Amin joined the King's Afrian Rifles in 1946 as an assistant cook. Amin served as a private in Kenya for the KAR until 1949. Amin faught in Somalia for the KAR and in 1953 he was promoted to sergeant. The next year Amin was appointed warrant officer, the highest rank for a person of his color in the British Colonial Army. In 1961 he was appointed lieutenant, making him the first Ugandan comissioned officer. Soon there after he was appointed deputy commissioner of the army. Amin was also a very athletic man, he was 6'4'' and a light heavyweight champion boxer of Uganda, he also swam and played rugby. In 1965 Amin was invovled with prime minister Obote in a gold smuggling incident, it was alleged that he had smuggled gold to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in exchange for guns. The guns were given to forces opposed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's government. As a result of this incident, Obote would take over as ruler of Uganda and Amin to take over as chief of all armed forces. Amin's control of the military would prove to be very important in eventually helping him seize power from Obote. Idi Amin, was a very brave and loyal leader in his early life, this explains for his quick succession to the head of the British Colonial Army. Amin was a very big and intimidating man, his stature and leadership qualities made him a very charismatic man. He would use these tools, as well as him commanding influence in the army to eventually bring about a reign of terror in Uganda that would last all of 8 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idi_Amin