Arrival in Uganda
In 1970, newly graduated Scottish physician Nicholas Garrigan left behind a quiet future in Edinburgh and sought adventure overseas. He traveled to Uganda, where he joined a rural missionary clinic run by Dr. David Merrit and his wife, Sarah. Though he quickly became drawn to Sarah, she kept a clear boundary, deflecting his advances despite the attention.
Soon after his arrival, Uganda underwent a sudden political upheaval. General Idi Amin staged a coup d’état, toppling President Milton Obote. The new leader gave a rousing speech that was met with national enthusiasm. However, those close to the ground, including Sarah, viewed the situation with skepticism.
Shortly afterward, Garrigan was called to assist at the scene of a car accident involving Amin himself. When no one else would take action, Garrigan euthanized a mortally wounded cow, impressing Amin. Upon learning Garrigan’s nationality, Amin—who held admiration for Scots—formed a quick bond with the young doctor. In a symbolic gesture of friendship, Amin swapped clothing with him and later extended an invitation for Garrigan to serve as his personal physician and aid in modernizing Uganda’s healthcare system.
From Observer to Insider
Accepting the offer, Garrigan relocated to the capital and began his new role under Amin’s regime. Over time, he was pulled deeper into Amin’s inner circle, not only as a medical professional but as a trusted confidant. Though initially disturbed by signs of political suppression, Garrigan rationalized the government’s actions as temporary measures to ensure long-term stability. Amin, charismatic and persuasive, justified the crackdown on dissent as a path to national unity.
Among the president’s inner family issues, Garrigan was made aware of Kay, Amin’s youngest wife, who had been isolated after giving birth to a son with epilepsy. During medical treatment sessions for the child, Garrigan and Kay developed a private and eventually intimate relationship. The affair intensified Garrigan’s emotional entanglement with the regime, even as his trust in Amin’s leadership began to erode.
Descent into Paranoia
As time passed, Garrigan observed increasingly erratic behavior from Amin. The once-celebrated leader grew consumed by paranoia, brutality, and extreme nationalism. Garrigan decided it was time to leave Uganda, but his attempt to resign was denied. Amin had secretly invalidated Garrigan’s British passport and replaced it with a Ugandan one, effectively trapping him in the country.
Seeking a way out, Garrigan approached a British diplomat named Stone. Stone offered an escape route but with a condition: Garrigan would have to assassinate Amin. Unwilling to cross that line, Garrigan declined. Meanwhile, his relationship with Kay became more complicated when she revealed she was pregnant. Fearing that Amin would discover the affair and retaliate, she pleaded for an abortion to be performed in secret.
Delayed by an unexpected press event orchestrated by Amin, Garrigan missed the arranged meeting. Believing she had been abandoned, Kay pursued a dangerous abortion in a remote village, where she was captured by Amin’s forces. Garrigan later discovered her mutilated body during an autopsy, realizing the full extent of the regime’s cruelty.
The Assassination Attempt
Determined to take action, Garrigan devised a plan to poison Amin. The opportunity arose during the 1976 Entebbe hostage crisis, when pro-Palestinian hijackers diverted a plane to Uganda. Viewing it as a stage for global attention, Amin brought Garrigan along to the airport. There, Garrigan attempted to administer a poisoned pill under the guise of treating Amin’s headache.
His plan was foiled when a bodyguard discovered the tampered medication. Garrigan was savagely beaten and brought before Amin, who revealed his awareness of both the assassination attempt and the affair with Kay. As punishment, Garrigan was tortured—his chest pierced with meat hooks and his body suspended.
Escape from Entebbe
While Amin prepared a plane to release the non-Israeli hostages, Garrigan was left unattended. Dr. Junju, a fellow physician, found him and made a bold decision. Believing Garrigan could expose the atrocities of Amin’s rule, Junju disguised him and helped him blend in with the departing hostages.
Garrigan managed to board the plane unnoticed. In the aftermath, Junju was executed for aiding in the escape. Garrigan survived but carried the trauma of what he had witnessed.
The Fall of a Tyrant
International criticism following the Entebbe crisis marked the beginning of Amin’s political decline. In 1979, after attempting to invade Tanzania, Ugandan forces were overpowered. Tanzanian troops captured Kampala, and Amin was exiled. He lived the remainder of his life in Saudi Arabia, dying in 2003.
Garrigan’s story ended with escape—but also with haunting memories of betrayal, violence, and a nation that suffered under tyranny. His involvement began with curiosity and adventure but concluded in irreversible disillusionment and a desperate flight to freedom.