Veteran Uganda opposition politician, Dr Kizza Besigye, has been remanded after being charged with offences relating to security, illegal possession of two pistols and illegal possession of eight rounds of ammunition.
Dr Besgye, who was arrested in Nairobi, was charged alongside Hajj Obed Lutale Kamulegeya before the General Court Martial, a military court in the Makindye area of Kampala.
According to the charge sheet, the two committed the offences in Nairobi (Kenya), Athens (Greece) and Geneva (Switzerland) with the alleged intention of causing insecurity in Uganda.
He was charged a day after the Daily Monitor, one of the leading daily newspapers in Uganda, reported that he had gone missing while in Nairobi. According to his family, Dr Besigye had travelled to Kenya to attend the launch of an autobiography by Ms Martha Karua, who was Mr Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 presidential election.
According to the charge sheet, in October 2023 and November 2024, the two, together with others who are yet to be arrested, held meetings in the three capitals to solicit for resources to cause insecurity in Uganda. The second charge stated that they were in possession of one pistol and eight rounds of pistol ammunition.
“As we call for his immediate release, we condemn this blatant abuse of the law by the regime here in Uganda, and sadly the authorities in Kenya,” said another opposition politician, Bobi Wine, who first shot to fame as a musician.
“We are back to the dark days when Ugandans were casually picked from the streets of Nairobi and returned to Uganda to be tortured, jailed and others executed.”
According to NBS Television, Dr Besigye’s lawyer, Mr Erias Lukwago, told the court martial that the charges lacked “jurisdictional merit” because the UPDF Act, under which the politician was charged, “cannot extend its reach to other jurisdictions”.
Earlier, Dr Besigye had rejected the lawyers assigned to him by the government of Uganda, saying he would only be represented by lawyers of his choice once he is given the opportunity to brief them.
“I was only informed that I was coming to court a few minutes ago,” he said. I was not in contact with any person since we were arrested from Nairobi. So, I could not have briefed them (the lawyers assigned to represent him). I will have my lawyers.”
Dr Besigye and Mr Kamulegeya were later remanded at the Luzira Prison until Monday, December 2.
“I request the Government of Uganda to release my husband, Dr Kizza Besigye, from where he is being held immediately,” Dr Besigye’s wife, Dr Winnie Byanyima said on X.
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