Prominent Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye appeared in a military court in Kampala on Wednesday after being reportedly abducted in neighboring Kenya.
The circumstances surrounding Besigye’s detention have sparked outrage, raising concerns about Kenya’s involvement and the ongoing crackdown on opposition figures in Uganda.
Besigye, 68, was brought to the General Court Martial in handcuffs and under heavy military escort, according to his lawyer, Erias Lukwago. “Besigye has objected to being tried by the General Court Martial, telling the court chairman he is a civilian and should not be subjected to a military tribunal,” Lukwago said, adding that the charges against him are not yet known.
A long-time opponent of President Yoweri Museveni, Besigye has run unsuccessfully for president four times since 2001 and has frequently been targeted by the Ugandan government. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, the head of UNAIDS, stated on X that her husband was kidnapped on Saturday while in Nairobi for a book launch organized by Kenyan opposition politician Martha Karua.
In recent months, Uganda’s authorities have intensified their crackdown on opposition leaders, arresting key figures and putting many on trial. In July, 36 members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)—the party Besigye founded—were deported from Kenya and tried in Uganda on terrorism charges. Besigye condemned the government, accusing them of illegally detaining and secretly returning the individuals from Kenya.
Besigye, a medical doctor who once served as Museveni’s personal physician, recently left the FDC and formed a new party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
Ugandan government spokesperson Chris Baryomunsi told reporters Wednesday that Besigye’s arrest was not problematic, as extradition treaties between countries allow for the arrest of individuals across borders. He also denied allegations of abductions, claiming the government does not engage in such practices.
However, human rights organizations have raised concerns about Kenya’s involvement in the abduction of foreign nationals. The Kenyan government recently acknowledged repatriating four Turkish refugees to Turkey under similar circumstances.
The Law Society of Kenya condemned Besigye’s arrest, stating it violated both local and international laws.
Other Ugandan opposition leaders, such as Bobi Wine, also expressed outrage. “We condemn this blatant abuse of the law by the regime in Uganda and, sadly, the authorities in Kenya,” he said. “We are returning to the dark days when Ugandans were snatched from Nairobi and brought back to be tortured, jailed, or executed.”
Besigye and Museveni were once allies, fighting together in the 1980s bush war that ousted Milton Obote. Besigye served as Museveni’s personal doctor, but the two became rivals when Besigye broke away from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and contested the presidency in 2001, later founding the FDC.
Besigye’s opposition has grown amid concerns about the rise of Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who now leads Uganda’s defense forces. Besigye, married to Byanyima—who was once romantically linked to Museveni—has faced numerous arrests and charges over the years, including accusations of rape and treason, and he and his supporters have often faced violence, including beatings, teargas, and harassment.
