I am the Last King of Scotland” declared Idi Amin

Throughout his reign,Field Marshall, General  Idi Amin, president of Uganda,  called himself the ‘uncrowned King of Scotland’.  The real life antics of his Idi Amin amused and horrified the world. But the instability, destruction and death he caused was very real and very painful for those who lived during his times.

When Forest Whitaker breathed life into the character of Idi Amin, it really was something out of a book. Giles Foden’s book to be exact.  The novel, ‘The Last King of Scotland’ was a sleeper hit that didn’t truly get the worldly recognition it deserved  until the Academy Award winning film movie based on it was released in 2006.  However, there is no denying that the way Foden weaves fiction and historical fact into this masterpiece is brilliant. Focusing on the rise of Ugandan President Idi Amin and his reign as dictator from 1971 to 1979, the novel is written as the memoir of a fictional Scottish doctor in Amin’s employ. The book is available at Savanis Bookshop.

Foden will chat with festival audiences and join the panel to discuss ‘Hay at 25’. The Storymoja Hay Festival in Nairobi runs from the 13th to 16th of September 2012 at the Nairobi National Museum. There will be over 60 events over four days. For more information, please visit www.storymojahayfestival.com