Sarah Kibedi. Photo/Courtesy
When Uganda edged closer to independence in 1962, a young love story unfolded that would later become one of the most controversial chapters in the life of Idi Amin Dada.
At the centre of it was Sarah Kibedi, a 22-year-old woman who defied her parents’ wishes to marry the man who would later rule Uganda with an iron fist.
Their marriage in March 1962 came just months before Uganda attained independence from Britain.
After the wedding, Sarah converted to Islam and took the name Mariam, stepping into a life that would soon be defined by power, betrayal, and public humiliation.
A marriage tested by infidelity
It did not take long for Mariam to discover Amin’s alleged infidelity. Reports from close accounts suggest she became increasingly aware of his relationships with other women, a pattern that would define his personal life for years to come.
In one incident, angered by suspicions of betrayal, Mariam reportedly staged a trip to Busoga, telling Amin she was visiting her parents. Instead of objecting, Amin allegedly encouraged her to extend her stay, saying she needed a break.
However, she returned unexpectedly and allegedly found Amin with another woman, Kay Adroa.
What followed was a physical confrontation between the two women, as Amin attempted to calm the situation. Despite the tension, he later apologised and promised to change.
But the reconciliation was short-lived. Within a week, Amin had reportedly married Kay Adroa, a development Mariam only learned about after seeing the ceremony broadcast on television in 1966.
Power, violence, and public scandal
Accounts from Apollo Wuod Okello Lawoko, as recorded in The Dungeons of Nakasero, describe Amin’s growing control over his personal relationships during his rise in power.
Lawoko, then a manager at Radio Uganda, reportedly assisted Kay Adroa in securing a job at the state broadcaster. She would later confide that Amin had been physically abusive, warning Lawoko to stay away from the volatile leader.
One of the most dramatic episodes allegedly unfolded at Radio Uganda, where Amin stormed the premises during a live broadcast, demanding to see Kay.
He is said to have assaulted a programme manager before dragging her out of the studio and leaving with her.
A cycle of marriages and rivalries
By 1967, new rumours of another woman, Norah, began circulating. Mariam and Kay reportedly confronted Amin separately over the matter, but tensions escalated further.
At a public event, Amin is said to have arrived with Norah, sparking a confrontation between the women.
The situation reportedly turned violent, and Amin later disciplined all three women before taking Norah as his new wife.
The pattern continued. In 1972, Amin married Madina Najjemba, whom he publicly elevated as his primary wife, reportedly dismissing the others and declaring her his only spouse in a cabinet meeting.
Yet even this arrangement did not last. Two years later, Amin married Sarah Kyolaba, a military dancer known for her charm and public appeal.
Their wedding reportedly attracted international attention, with high-profile guests including foreign diplomats and political figures.
Exile, downfall, and life after Amin
After Amin’s overthrow in 1979 and subsequent exile in Saudi Arabia, Kyolaba left him in 1982, taking one of their children with her.
She later lived in Germany, where she worked briefly as a model, before relocating to London and opening a restaurant.
Her later years were marked by legal and family challenges. In 1999, she was charged under public health regulations following complaints about hygiene standards at her restaurant.
Years later, in 2007, her son was convicted in connection to a gang-related murder case in London.
Sarah Kyolaba died in 2015 in London, closing a life that had once been tied to one of Africa’s most infamous rulers.
Source: Historian Levin Odhiambo Opiyo