Kampala, Uganda – Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has been remanded to prison alongside his associate, Hajji Obeid Lutale, on charges linked to national security and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Several leaders who tried accessing the Makindye Military court where Besigye was arraigned today were blocked and only a few including his lawyer Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago were allowed in.
The General Court Martial, led by Brigadier Freeman Mugabe, heard allegations that Besigye and Lutale engaged in activities targeting Uganda’s security while abroad, specifically in Nairobi, Athens, and Geneva, between October 2023 and November 2024.
Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and former leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), has a history of opposing President Yoweri Museveni. His latest troubles began when he was allegedly abducted from a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, while attending a book launch. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, reported the incident, sparking widespread concern.
The prosecution claims that Besigye and Lutale solicited logistical support and identified military targets to compromise the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Additionally, they face charges of illegal possession of ammunition, with allegations that they were found with eight rounds of ammunition and two pistols at Riverside Apartments in Nairobi.
Besigye’s defense team, led by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, contests the charges, arguing that the alleged offenses occurred outside Uganda, rendering the UPDF Act inapplicable. Lukwago also questions the jurisdiction of Uganda’s army tribunal over actions in foreign countries.
This development is the latest in a long series of confrontations between Besigye and the Ugandan government. Besigye has previously been arrested and charged with treason, rape, and other offenses, with many of these charges being dropped or disputed. As the situation unfolds, tensions between the opposition and the government are likely to escalate.
