Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has been denied bail despite surpassing the six-month legal limit for detention without trial, igniting fresh concerns over human rights and judicial independence in the East African nation.
Besigye, 69, a long-time critic of President Yoweri Museveni, was abducted from Nairobi in November 2023 by unidentified armed men and later surfaced at a Ugandan military court facing treason charges. Treason in Uganda is a capital offense, punishable by death. Under Uganda’s constitution, any detainee must be released on bail after 180 days if their trial has not commenced a deadline that expired this week.
The high-profile case was moved to a civilian court in February following a hunger strike by Besigye, a former physician to Museveni who has challenged the president in four presidential elections. However, the bail hearing on Friday was postponed after magistrate Esther Nyadoi chose to assess the prosecution’s arguments instead of issuing a bail ruling, leading to a dramatic courtroom walkout by Besigye’s legal team and supporters.
“I am raising a matter of having no legal representation in this case. Your worship, this is a case where our lives are at stake,” Besigye declared during the session.
The hearing was adjourned, and Besigye’s detention was extended until his next court appearance on May 29.
Compounding the controversy, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi admitted earlier this week that Nairobi had cooperated with Ugandan authorities in Besigye’s abduction. While defending the move by citing Uganda’s importance as Kenya’s largest export market, Mudavadi dismissed legal concerns, stating, “Kenya is not on trial.”
The situation has drawn strong condemnation from rights groups and opposition figures across the region, who accuse both Uganda and Kenya of violating international legal norms. Furthermore, Uganda’s parliament recently passed a contentious bill allowing civilians to be tried in military courts, raising fears of further erosion of civil liberties.
As the international community watches closely, the fate of one of Uganda’s most persistent opposition voices hangs in the balance.
