Battle of Jinja
The Battle of Jinja was a battle of the Uganda–Tanzania War that took place on 22 April 1979 near and in the city of Jinja, Uganda between Tanzanian and allied Uganda National Liberation Front forces on the one hand, and Ugandan troops loyal to Idi Amin on the other. The Tanzanians and the UNLF men met slight resistance and captured Owen Falls Dam and the town of Jinja.
| Battle of Jinja | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the eastern campaign of the Uganda–Tanzania War | |||||||||
Jinja Battle of Jinja (Uganda) | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Tanzania Uganda National Liberation Front | Uganda | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Mwita Marwa Salim Hassan Boma | Unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| 208th Brigade | Eagle Colonel Gaddafi Battalion | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
3,000 3 tanks | 200–2,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 1 wounded |
unknown killed or wounded ~6 captured 1 field gun destroyed | ||||||||
| 2 civilians killed | |||||||||
Idi Amin had seized power in Uganda in 1971 and established a brutal dictatorship. Seven years later he attempted to invade neighbouring Tanzania to the south. The attack was repulsed, and the Tanzanians launched a counter-attack into Ugandan territory. After a number of battles, Amin's regime and military largely collapsed, and Kampala, the capital, was seized by the Tanzanians and the UNLF. Ugandan troops fled to the eastern city of Jinja, whose capture was entrusted to a force consisting of the Tanzanian 208th Brigade and members of the UNLF.
The Tanzanian-UNLF force moved east out from Kampala on 15 April. Early in the morning on 22 April, the Tanzanians bombarded Jinja with artillery, and under the cover of darkness advanced towards the two bridges that crossed the Nile river west of the city. The column eliminated the resistance along the river and seized the Owen Falls Dam, which provided hydroelectric power to the entirety of Uganda. It entered Jinja largely unopposed and was met by cheering crowds, though sweeps through the city led to the capture of a few straggling Ugandan soldiers.