Lasting from December 1964 to March 1965, the meetings frequently involved the exchange of arms which Obote procured from Tanzania and the rebels paid for with gold and ivory.
[4] On 16 March 1965 KY MP Daudi Ochieng lodged an accusation in Parliament that Colonel Idi Amin—a high ranking officer in the army, Obote, Minister of Internal Affairs Felix Onama, and Minister of Planning and Community Development Adoko Nekyon, had illegally profited off of gold, ivory, and cash originating from the Congo.
Obote planned on having the rules rewritten to make the establishment of the commission easier, but the Attorney General's office decided instead to revise all army regulations, which took additional time.
The group decided that the matter involved sensitive information pertaining to national security, so all UPC MPs would reject Ochieng's motion to avoid an open debate in Parliament on the investigation's findings.
[13] According to lawyer and intelligence officer Akena Adoko, the meeting and decision was taken at Ibingira's initiative on advice from his political ally, President Edward Mutesa, who reportedly told him, "Let us join forces right now.
[10] The motion, which was seconded by Gesparo Oda, representing the Democratic Party,[8] read as follows:[15] That this House do urge Government to suspend from duty Col Idi Amin of the Uganda Army forthwith pending conclusion of police investigations into the allegations regarding his bank account which should then be passed on to the appropriate public authority whose final decision on the matter shall be made public.
During the speech in which he presented the motion, Ochieng also accused Obote, Onama, and Minister of Planning and Community Development Adoko Nekyon of being complicit in Amin's alleged activities.
[a] Ochieng concluded that Amin would reveal these details if he were formally court martialed; thus, Obote, Onama, and Neykon were not conducting a meaningful investigation.
[24] Though the motion had only pertained to Amin, Ochieng's accusations had attacked the credibility of Obote, Onama, and Nekyon, and it seemed apparent to leaders that a new, independent inquiry had to be made.
The cabinet attempted to convene on 22 February to appoint a new commission of inquiry into the matter, but Obote swiftly placed five members under arrest; Ibingira, Emmanuel Lumu, Balaki K. Kirya, Mathias Ngobi, and George Magezi were detained.
[24] Though the threat posed by Ibingira to his leadership was eliminated, Obote decided to consolidate his position by deprecating his ex-rival's allies, specifically Mutesa.
[11][32][33] Historian Aidan Southall wrote that "it would appear that the unaccountably large sums in Amin's bank account were spent quite legitimately on supplies for the Congolese.