Kenya Insights

Tag: Kizza Besigye

  • Winnie Byanyima Begs Museveni to Free Besigye After 180 Days in Jail Without Trial

    Winnie Byanyima Begs Museveni to Free Besigye After 180 Days in Jail Without Trial

    In a deeply emotional video that has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s political circles, Winnie Byanyima, a respected diplomat and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, has broken her silence.

    She is pleading with President Yoweri Museveni to immediately release her husband, opposition leader Kizza Besigye, from Luzira Maximum Security Prison. Besigye, 68, has been held without trial for more than 180 days.

    Byanyima called this continued detention unconstitutional, unjust, and politically motivated.

    Her plea comes after yet another denial of bail, despite Uganda’s legal requirement to grant mandatory bail after six months of imprisonment without trial.

    Winnie Byanyima Begs Museveni to Free Besigye After 180 Days in Jail Without Trial
    Kizza Besigye has long been one of Museveni’s fiercest rivals, having run against him multiple times in contested presidential elections. His political activism has landed him in jail numerous times over the years. [Photo: Courtesy]

    Winnie Byanyima calls continued detention a political punishment

    Winnie Byanyima’s voice trembled with frustration and pain in her public appeal. She said the government was using the judicial system to punish her husband for political dissent.

    “I’m disappointed. My husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and his friend Hajj Obeid Lutaale, have been denied bail again,” she stated. “They’ve been in prison for over 180 days. The government keeps changing the charge sheet and has failed to start the trial.”

    Byanyima insisted that this is not about privilege but basic fairness. She called on President Museveni to respect Uganda’s Constitution, which mandates that a suspect held for more than 180 days without trial be granted bail.

    Besigye and Lutaale have been in detention since November 2024. They face treason charges, but the government has yet to present solid evidence or begin court proceedings. Meanwhile, state prosecutors have amended the charge sheet multiple times, a move critics say is aimed at dragging out the case and keeping the opposition quiet.

    “They should not be in prison,” Byanyima said. “They are political dissidents. They should be free to express their views peacefully.”

    Winnie Byanyima speaks as both a wife and a leader

    Byanyima, a seasoned international leader, made it clear that her appeal was not just personal. Speaking both as Besigye’s wife and as a global human rights advocate, she described the treatment of her husband and his co-accused as persecution.

    “This is not justice,” she said. “This is punishment for opposing the government.”

    She reminded the nation that Uganda’s Constitution guarantees rights for all citizens, including political opponents. Byanyima warned that denying Besigye’s bail sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law.

    In her video, Byanyima directly addressed Museveni, whom she once knew personally from the bush war era: “Mr. President, I ask for justice. Nothing else. Not privilege. Just fairness.”

    She also asked Museveni to consider the other political prisoners who have been locked up for months without trials. “Their only crime,” she said, “is that they disagree with you.”

    Museveni insists legal process must continue

    Despite public pressure, President Museveni has shown no signs of yielding. He dismissed Byanyima’s plea and accused Besigye of using a hunger strike to “blackmail” the state.

    “Unprincipled blackmail,” Museveni called it. He argued that Besigye should be pursuing a speedy trial, not starving himself for sympathy.

    Museveni insisted that Besigye’s legal case must run its course and that he should face the charges head-on in court. He also noted that the government is willing to provide medical attention if Besigye’s condition worsens.

    But critics say the government’s refusal to grant bail has little to do with justice and everything to do with silencing political opposition. They point to a pattern of crackdowns, delayed court proceedings, and the strategic use of detention to keep dissenters out of the public eye.

    Besigye has long been one of Museveni’s fiercest rivals, having run against him multiple times in contested presidential elections. His political activism has landed him in jail numerous times over the years. But this latest detention, without trial for over six months, marks a new low in Uganda’s democratic decline.

    A message that resonates beyond Uganda

    Winnie Byanyima’s emotional appeal has struck a chord not just in Uganda, but around the world. Human rights groups have called for Besigye’s immediate release. Lawyers, activists, and opposition figures have echoed her call, saying this case represents a wider assault on political freedom in the country.

    Byanyima’s credibility as a global leader adds weight to her words. As head of UNAIDS, she has led international efforts for justice, equality, and human dignity. Now, she’s calling on her own country to live up to those same principles.

    “This is not about my husband only,” she said. “It’s about the kind of Uganda we want. A Uganda where justice applies to all.”

    Her voice may be soft, but the message is loud: Uganda must uphold its laws, respect its citizens’ rights, and stop jailing those who dare to think differently.

     

  • He Had To Go! Mudavadi Defends Kenya’s Role in Besigye Arrest in Nairobi

    He Had To Go! Mudavadi Defends Kenya’s Role in Besigye Arrest in Nairobi

    Kenya has defended its role in the arrest and return of Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, with Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi saying the reason for Besigye’s presence in the country was unclear from the beginning.

    Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer show, Mudavadi said Besigye’s stay in Kenya became diplomatically sensitive as issues unfolded.

    “He came here, and there were issues, and he had to go,” Mudavadi said.

    “I think the manner in which he had come to Kenya were (sic) not quite clear, and at that time, him being here, and of course, certain issues were beginning to evolve… I would rather leave it at that, because he’s now in the custody of his nation and his authorities.”

    Mudavadi explained that Kenya’s decision to work with Ugandan authorities was based on national interest and the need to maintain strong ties with its neighbors.

    “We always look at national interest. We have to partner with our East African States, and sometimes we have to manage those relations very carefully for the broader national interest,” he said.

    The Foreign Affairs Chief noted that Besigye did not formally seek asylum in Kenya, which may have affected how the government handled the situation.

    “Had he said that he was seeking asylum, maybe the treatment would’ve been different,” Mudavadi remarked.

    Musalia Mudavadi.
    Musalia Mudavadi.

    Highlighting the economic links between Kenya and Uganda, Mudavadi pointed out that the countries depend on each other for trade and jobs.

    “Uganda is Kenya’s trading partner; a lot of lives and jobs are dependent on that relationship,” he said.

    “What would happen to the Kenyan economy if there were no more trade between Kenya and Uganda?”

    Besigye, a vocal critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was arrested in Kenya in November 2024 and returned to Uganda under circumstances that sparked criticism from activists and opposition supporters.

    The Kenyan government has maintained that it acted in line with diplomatic duties and national priorities, a stance Mudavadi reinforced during the interview.

    In February, 68-year-old Besigye was charged with treason by a Ugandan court. Despite his poor health following a hunger strike, his requests to be moved to a hospital were denied.

  • Winnie Byanyima, Besigye’s Wife, Reflects on Her Past Relationship with Museveni Amid Her Husband’s Current Trial

    Winnie Byanyima, Besigye’s Wife, Reflects on Her Past Relationship with Museveni Amid Her Husband’s Current Trial

    Winnie Byanyima, the wife of beleaguered Uganda’s foremost opposition figure Kizza Besigye has denied that her past relationship with President Yoweri Museveni has anything to do with Besigye’s current trial.

    Winnie, a Ugandan aeronautical engineer, politician, human rights activist, feminist and diplomat is the executive director of UNAIDS. In an interview with Uganda’s Next Gen Radio, she talked about her past love relationship with Museveni, who has shown no remorse over Besigye’s incarceration.

    “Yes. A long time ago I had a relationship with Museveni but it has no relevance now. It was a normal relationship with President Museveni,” she said.

    Winnie Byanyima, the wife of beleaguered Uganda’s foremost opposition figure Kizza Besigye has denied that her past relationship with President Yoweri Museveni has anything to do with Besigye’s current trial.

    Winnie, a Ugandan aeronautical engineer, politician, human rights activist, feminist and diplomat is the executive director of UNAIDS. In an interview with Uganda’s Next Gen Radio, she talked about her past love relationship with Museveni, who has shown no remorse over Besigye’s incarceration.

    “Yes. A long time ago I had a relationship with Museveni but it has no relevance now. It was a normal relationship with President Museveni. It had some challenges, and I left it, but it is not relevant to the political discussion,” she said.

    The talk about the past relationship between Winnie and Museveni emerged on online social media platforms, with many users arguing that the Ugandan president is entertaining the suffering of Besigye because he is jilted.

    Winnie’s relationship with Museveni has constantly come out during Uganda’s political contests. In 2006, one of the UK’s leading newspapers, The Telegraph, in an article titled, “Tangled tale of love and betrayal that links bitter rivals,” wrote about how the relationship could have found itself in succession politics.

    It describes Winnie as a headstrong and elegant woman who conducted a long affair with Museveni in the 1980s before marrying his leading critic.

    Comrades in arms

    During those days, Museveni and Besigye were not always such bitter adversaries. They were comrades in arms during Uganda’s brutal bush war of the 1980s and were so close that Besigye served as Museveni’s doctor.

    So most of Uganda’s past elections have seen two former friends standing against one another, while the first lady of the opposition is a former lover of the sitting president.

    Security officers wheel in opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye outside the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala on February 21, 2025. (Photo: Isano Francis)

    The link has added a personal and very bitter twist in the current trials of Besygye who is in jail over allegations of attempting to overthrow the government.

    Besigye and Byanyima in the past during happy times.

    The couple conducted their affair between 1981 and 1986 when Museveni was fighting a guerrilla war against the late tyrant Milton Obote. Byanyima was at his side when he marched into Kampala at the head of a rebel army and made himself president in 1986.

    But Museveni was unwilling to leave his wife, Janet, and Byanyima was cast out. She eventually married Besigye in 1998 – just as he fell out with the president and became his leading critic.

    On Friday, Besigye was charged with treason in a civilian court after his controversial case was transferred from a military tribunal.

    Treason is a capital offence in Uganda and if found guilty the 68-year-old could be sentenced to death. He was charged alongside two other suspects, but they did not enter a plea because the charges against them could only be heard in a higher court.

    Abducted in Kenya

    Besigye, who has run for president against Museveni four times, has been in detention since he was dramatically abducted in Kenya in November and taken back to Uganda to face a military trial.

    But a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court last month said that trying civilians in military courts was unconstitutional and ordered all such cases to be transferred.

    The move angered President Museveni, who called it “a wrong decision”. At the start of last week, Besigye had begun a hunger strike over his continued detention.

    The charges stem from accusations that he was plotting to remove Museveni from power by force. Friday was the first first time Besigye had appeared before a civilian court for formal charges, after the Supreme Court ruling.

    Visibly frail, he was wheeled before the Nakawa magistrate court in the capital, Kampala, alongside his aide and co-accused Obeid Lutale.

    According to the charge sheet presented before the court, Besigye is accused of holding meetings in Switzerland, Greece and Kenya between 2023 and November last year in a plot to overturn the government.

    He was also accused of soliciting military, financial and other logistical support to topple Museveni’s government.

  • Museveni Calls Besigye’s Hunger Strike ‘Unprincipled Blackmail’

    Museveni Calls Besigye’s Hunger Strike ‘Unprincipled Blackmail’

    Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has criticized opposition figure Kizza Besigye’s hunger strike, describing it as an ‘unprincipled blackmail.’

    Museveni in a statement Tuesday addressed concerns surrounding the detained opposition leader’s health, emphasizing that the government has ensured adequate medical care.

    He asserted that the opposition leader has access to government medical facilities in prison and has also been attended to by his personal doctors at private clinics.

    “If there was need for any additional medical care, the Government would be advised. However, in this case, Dr. Besigye was on hunger strike,” read his statement in part.

    “That is part of the cause for his weakness that we could see in the pictures that were in the newspapers. Is that not unprincipled blackmail?”

    The Ugandan leader questioned Besigye’s use of a hunger strike as a means to gain public sympathy and push for bail, rather than seeking a quick trial to address the charges against him.

    Museveni also sought to reframe the public discourse, urging Ugandans to focus on why Besigye was arrested rather than his detention conditions.

    Besigye, a longtime critic of the Museveni administration and a former presidential candidate, was arrested in Nairobi’s Riverside area last year on allegations of planning to jeopardize Uganda’s security infrastructure.

    He would later be charged in a military court with illegal possession of a firearm, threatening national security, as well as treachery, which carries the death sentence. He denies the accusations.

    His supporters have called for his immediate release, citing concerns over his health and the political nature of the charges against him.

    Besigye’s arrest and hunger strike have sparked a renewed debate over political freedoms in Uganda, with human rights groups calling for due process and fair treatment in his trial.

    The opposition has accused the government of using unconstitutional tactics to suppress dissent, a claim the authorities have denied.

    Museveni’s remarks come on the back of calls for his unconditional release from the international community including a statement by human right defenders among them Amnesty International.

  • Ugandan Government Offers to Drop Military Trial of Kizza Besigye

    Ugandan Government Offers to Drop Military Trial of Kizza Besigye

    Uganda’s government has offered to drop the military trial of opposition leaderKizza Besigye, who has been on a hunger strike since February 10 in protest of his detention.

    The 68-year-old Besigye, a former ally of President Yoweri Museveni, is facing treason charges for allegedly threatening “national security.”

    Despite the Supreme Court ruling that civilians should not be tried in military courts, the government had initially planned to proceed with a court martial.

    However, on Sunday, February 16, 2025, cabinet spokesman Chris Baryomunsi announced that the government would transfer Besigye’s case to a civil court under the court’s ruling.

    Baryomunsi, who visited Besigye in prison alongside his doctors, urged him to end his hunger strike while the transfer is processed.

    The army, which had previously ignored the Supreme Court ruling, has yet to comment on the development.

    Besigye’s health has raised alarm, with his wife, Winnie Byanyima, expressing deep concern for his condition.

    Besigye was seen in court on Thursday looking frail, prompting calls from international organisations for the protection of political opposition in Uganda ahead of the 2026 elections.

    Amnesty International condemned the trial as a “travesty of justice” and highlighted the increasing repression of political figures in the country.

  • Besigye Goes On Hunger Strike

    Besigye Goes On Hunger Strike

    Detained Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye has begun a hunger strike as his time spent in detention awaiting trial nears three months.

    Besigye, 68, was charged in a military court with possession of pistols and attempting to purchase weapons abroad – accusations which he denies.

    On Tuesday, an aide from Besigye’s political movement, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), told the BBC: “We believe he is protesting because he should not still be in prison – he should be home.”

    Besigye’s trial was initially postponed until January – it is now unclear when the court case will begin.

    Besigye used to be a personal doctor for Uganda’s longtime president, Yoweri Museveni, but went on to become an opposition leader.

    He has contested and lost four presidential elections against Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. The veteran opposition figure has previously accused the Ugandan authorities of political persecution.

    He has been less active in politics in recent years, and did not contest the 2021 election.

    However, Besigye returned to the headlines last month after he was dramatically abducted while visiting Kenya and forcibly taken to Uganda.

    The detention sparked widespread condemnation and fears of a clandestine exchange of intelligence between the two neighbours.

    Besigye was then charged along with an aide, Obeid Lutale. Mr Lutale also denied the charges.

    In a landmark ruling last month, Uganda’s Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional for military courts to try civilians, ordering the transfer of all such cases to civilian courts.

    The move angered President Museveni, who dismissed it as “a wrong decision” and vowed to challenge the ruling.

    Besigye has had various other run-ins with the law.

    On Tuesday, the opposition politician was expected to appear before a civilian court for a hearing on a 2022 case in which he is accused of holding an unlawful demonstration. However, he did not attend the hearing, citing health reasons.

    In 2005, Besigye was arrested while returning from a political rally ahead of the 2006 presidential polls and charged with treason. The charges were thrown out by the courts.

    He was also charged with rape in a separate case. The charges were later dropped. He said all the allegations were part of a campaign of political persecution.

    Museveni has defended the use of military courts to try civilians.

    He said any crime involving a gun was dealt with in a military court to ensure the country’s stability as civilian courts took too long to deal with cases.

    Opposition parties have frequently complained about restrictions on political activities, alleging that Museveni fears political competition.

    Museveni’s supporters deny the allegation, and say he has maintained stability during his rule of almost 40 years.

    (BBC)

  • Museveni Pledges To Continue Using Military Courts Despite Ban

    Museveni Pledges To Continue Using Military Courts Despite Ban

    Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni said on Saturday his government would continue to prosecute civilians in military tribunals even after the country’s top court banned the practice, ruling it unconstitutional.

    In a majority decision on Friday, the east African country’s Supreme Court banned prosecutions of civilians in military courts and ordered all ongoing cases there to be transferred to civil courts.

    The ruling was hailed by key opposition figure Kizza Besigye’s lawyer as offering him some relief during an ongoing trial by the country’s general court martial.

    In a statement to the media on Saturday, Museveni described the court’s decision as wrong and said military prosecutions reinforce the civil courts and had helped in pacifying Karamoja, a region in Uganda’s northeast plagued by armed violence.

    “The country is not governed by the judges,” he said. “The military courts helped us to discipline Karamoja. We cannot and will not abandon this useful instrument for stability.”

    Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused Museveni’s government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.

    While civilian court judges are independent, military court officials are appointed by the president.

    Ugandan pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine has previously been prose in a military court over weapons offences.

    Besigye, a longtime opponent of Museveni, was detained in neighbouring Kenya in November and brought back to Uganda to be charged with several weapons and security offences in the general court martial.

    He has been held in detention since and was due to reappear in court on Monday, but his lawyers said after the ruling on Friday that he now would not do so.

    In power since 1986, Museveni has not openly stated whether he would seek re-election at the polls next year although he is widely expected to do so.

  • Kiiza Besigye Hit With Extra Charge Carrying Death Penalty

    Kiiza Besigye Hit With Extra Charge Carrying Death Penalty

    Ugandan military prosecutors on Monday added a charge of “treachery” – which carries the death penalty – to the list of violations of military law they say were committed by a prominent opposition figure.

    Kiiza Besigye, a veteran political foe of President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for almost 40 years, was detained in neighbouring Kenya in November.

    He was brought back home and charged with illegal possession of firearms and with undermining the East African country’s security in a military court, despite being a civilian.

    He has been kept in prison in the capital Kampala since then, together with an aide, Obeid Lutale, with whom he was detained and charged.

    Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of U.N. agency UNAIDS, has said the charges against him are politically motivated. His lawyers have rejected the charges as baseless.

    During a court hearing on Monday, a military prosecutor read Besigye and his co-accused the new charge of treachery.

    According to a charge sheet seen by Reuters, Besigye and his co-accused possessed intelligence about a plot to undermine national security but “consciously withheld the said vital information from the proper authorities”.

    Besigye’s lawyers protested at the extra charge, saying they violated criminal trial procedures.

    They also protested at the detention of prominent human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza, who is part of Besigye’s defence team.

    At Besigye’s last court appearance on Jan. 7, Kiiza was sentenced to nine months in prison for alleged contempt of court over an altercation with court orderlies.

    London-based human rights group Amnesty International has described Kiiza’s detention and jail sentence as outrageous, demanding his release.

    Besigye was once an ally and personal physician of Museveni, but the two later fell out. Besigye ran against and lost to Museveni in four presidential elections. He rejected the results of all those votes over alleged irregularities.

    Human rights activists have accused Museveni’s government of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and arbitrary detention. The government has repeatedly denied allegations of election fraud and rights abuses.

  • Tanzanian Activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai Abducted in Nairobi

    Tanzanian Activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai Abducted in Nairobi

    Nairobi, Kenya – January 12, 2025 In a disturbing development within the realm of human rights advocacy in East Africa, Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a prominent Tanzanian activist and critic of the Tanzanian government, was reportedly abducted in Nairobi, this afternoon.

    According to report by Amnesty Kenya who confirmed the incident, the abduction took place around 3:15 PM EAT near Chaka Place in Nairobi’s upscale Kilimani area.

    Amnesty reports that three armed men in a black Noah vehicle forcibly took Sarungi from the location as she was leaving Yaya Centre.

    Maria Sarungi Tsehai is well-known for her activism, particularly through her “Change Tanzania” campaign, which she initiated on social media platforms to advocate for political and social reforms in Tanzania. Her outspoken critique of the current Tanzanian administration under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, especially regarding human rights and governance issues, has made her a significant figure in the region’s political landscape.

    Amnesty International Kenya has confirmed the abduction, urging the public to spread the word to help keep Sarungi safe. “Ms. Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian independent media editor and human rights defender, was kidnapped by three armed men. We are actively seeking information and working to secure her release,” a statement from Amnesty Kenya read.

    The abduction also comes barely a month after Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted by armed men in Nairobi only to end up in an Ugandan military prison.

    This latest kidnapping has raised alarms about the safety of activists in East Africa, pointing to a broader issue of harassment and intimidation faced by those who voice opposition or critique against established powers.

    Further reports indicate that Sarungi had been under surveillance and faced threats due to her criticism of the Tanzanian government, highlighting the potential political motivations behind her abduction.

    Human rights organizations, civil society, and international observers are now calling for swift action from both Kenyan and Tanzanian authorities to locate and ensure the safety of Sarungi. There is a growing fear among activists that such abductions could deter open discourse and activism, stifling democracy in the region.

    The Kenyan government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, but there is an expectation for a prompt response given Kenya’s role in regional human rights discussions and its position within the UN Human Rights Commission.

    The international community, including human rights groups and supporters on social media, are mobilizing under the hashtag #FreeMariaSarungi to demand her safe return. The situation underscores the precarious nature of activism in regions where political critique can lead to severe repercussions.

    As the investigation into Maria Sarungi Tsehai’s abduction continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those who dare to challenge the status quo in their quest for justice and change.

    This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

  • Museveni Defends Trials For Civilians In Military Courts

    Museveni Defends Trials For Civilians In Military Courts

    Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, 80, has defended the use of military courts to try civilians – following an outcry over the arrest and trial of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.

    His 68-year-old rival has been charged in a military court with possession of pistols and attempting to purchase weapons abroad – accusations he denies.

    Besigye, who was abducted while visiting Kenya last month and forcibly taken to Uganda, found out on Tuesday that he would be spending Christmas in custody as his trial has been delayed until January.

    Museveni said any crime involving a gun was dealt with in a military court to ensure the country’s stability as civilian courts took too long to deal with cases.

    Hundreds of civilians have been tried in Uganda’s military courts, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled against the practice.

    “I have seen the arguments in the papers by some lawyers regarding the correctness of some civilians being tried in the Court Martial,” .

    He said his National Resistance Movement (NRM) party had enacted a law through parliament in 2005 to allow the use of military courts because of the “rampant activities of criminals and terrorists that were using guns to kill people indiscriminately”.

    “The civilian courts were clogged with the many court cases of the whole country: murders, rape, assaults, robbery, land matters, divorce matters etc, etc. They could, therefore, not handle these gun-wielding criminals quickly. Yet, for stabilization you need speed,” he said.

    Besigye has objected to being tried by a court-martial, saying that if there were any charges against him, he should be tried in a civilian court.

    A fierce rival of Museveni, he has contested and lost four presidential elections against Uganda’s leader, who has been in power since 1986.

    He has been less active in politics in the last couple of years and did not contest the 2021 election.

    The veteran politician – who was once Museveni’s personal doctor – has been arrested dozens of times in Uganda but never convicted.

    Earlier this year he announced he was returning to the political fray to help sort out his party, which has split into two factions.

    Activists and rights groups have rallied behind him, condemning his treatment as unfair.

    “Civilians tried in Uganda’s military courts do not receive the same due process guarantees as those in civilian courts,” UN human rights chief Volker Türk said.

    There are reports that his arrest had been planned for months.

    Human Rights Watch has urged the Ugandan government to end the “weaponization of military detention” and the trial of political opposition leaders and their supporters.

    But Museveni said the East African nation was justified in using court martials.

    He ended his statement with this praise for them: “You have made your own contribution to our peace.”

  • LSK Considers Barring Ugandan Lawyers Over Karua’s Licence Dispute

    LSK Considers Barring Ugandan Lawyers Over Karua’s Licence Dispute

    The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has expressed its intention to potentially halt the admission of Ugandan lawyers into Kenyan practice following the Uganda Law Council’s refusal to grant a temporary practising licence to Senior Counsel Martha Karua. Karua sought this permission to defend opposition figures Kizza Bisigye and Obeid Lutale in Kampala’s general court martial where they face charges related to the illegal possession of firearms.

    In a strongly worded letter dated December 10, LSK President Faith Odhiambo criticized the Uganda Law Council’s decision as “disrespectful, arrogant, and dismissive.” She highlighted the offense this caused not only to the cooperative relations between the Kenyan and Ugandan legal fraternities but also to the manner and rationale behind the decision.

    The Uganda Law Council, in its correspondence to Karua on December 6, rejected her application citing reasons such as her alleged lack of unique skills to justify the licence and the absence of necessary identification and academic documents. Additionally, they accused her of misconduct, including presenting herself in court without a valid Ugandan practising certificate.

    Odhiambo voiced her astonishment at the Council’s apparent disregard for Kenyan legal professionals, especially one as esteemed as Karua. She emphasized Kenya’s role in promoting regional legal collaboration, allowing advocates from neighboring countries to practice within Kenya, predominantly from Uganda, and stressed the unfair restrictions Kenyan lawyers face abroad.

    “It is inconceivable that the Law Council of Uganda would hold such little regard for Kenyan practitioners, no less a reputable and long-standing member of the Senior Counsel Bar,” Odhiambo said.

    LSK President Faith Odhiambo.

    “Given our responsibility to safeguard Kenyan legal practice under the LSK Act, we can no longer tolerate this blatant disrespect,” Odhiambo stated, indicating plans to engage with the Attorney General for a solution that would uphold mutual respect and legal dignity.

    Moreover, LSK is contemplating suspending the admission of Ugandan lawyers until mutual recognition agreements are established, a move aimed at maintaining the integrity of Kenyan legal practice.

    “To further protect the integrity of legal practice in Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya is actively considering, after necessary consultations, the suspension of admission of advocates from the Uganda Law Society until such a time as reciprocal arrangements are appreciated and implemented. This measure, though regrettable, is necessary to uphold the dignity and equity of Kenyan legal practice,” Odhiambo said.

    Bisigye and Lutale are accused of possessing illegal firearms across multiple countries including Kenya, Greece, and Switzerland, with specific charges related to an incident in Nairobi in November 2024. The military court proceedings were delayed when Karua attempted to represent them but was barred due to her lack of a Ugandan licence.

    Karua, in response, wrote a letter on December 9 challenging the character and professional critique from the Council, arguing it was an unjust attack on her integrity. She further communicated with the Uganda Law Society on December 10, urging them to support her reapplication for a special practising certificate under Article 19 of the IBA Standards, which calls for cooperation in granting foreign lawyers the right to represent clients.

    Karua emphasized the importance of the East African Community’s principles in supporting cross-border legal practice, looking forward to the Uganda Law Society’s assistance in navigating this dispute.

  • How Ugandan Spy Agency Trailed Besigye From Entebe Airport To His Abduction In Nairobi

    How Ugandan Spy Agency Trailed Besigye From Entebe Airport To His Abduction In Nairobi

    (BBC) – The mysterious detention of Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye while on a visit to Kenya nearly two weeks ago has sparked widespread condemnation and fears of a clandestine exchange of intelligence between the two neighbours.

    Besigye’s allies and wife have come out to reveal harrowing details of how the opposition chief was apparently lured to meet his abductors, said to have disguised themselves as Kenyan security agents.

    Reports say he was spied on from the time he boarded a plane at Entebbe airport in Uganda for Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, where he was picked up, before somehow being transferred to a military court back home without any extradition proceedings.

    While Kenya insists it played no role and is investigating the incident, Uganda holds that Kenya was fully aware of the plan, citing intelligence correspondence aimed at tracking Besigye down.

    As he returns to military court in Kampala, we piece together what we know so far.

    Who is Kizza Besigye?

    Besigye has contested and lost four presidential elections against President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.

    He has been less active in politics recently, and did not contest the 2021 election.

    But earlier this year, he formed a new party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) after breaking away from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), which he founded two decades ago.

    The opposition politician has for years travelled to Kenya and moved freely, sometimes to attend high-profile events – even while he remained Museveni’s main challenger and biggest critic.

    What led up to Besigye’s disappearance?

    This time, Besigye travelled to Nairobi to attend the launch of a book by Kenyan opposition politician Martha Karua.

    The 68-year-old landed in the city on the morning of 16 November and took a taxi to his hotel in the affluent suburb of Hurlingham. He was accompanied by long-term ally Hajj Obeid Lutale.

    A few hours later, he left the hotel, boarded a taxi and headed to Riverside Drive, some 5km (three miles) from his hotel, for a private meeting, according to his political allies.

    This was the last time he was seen until he re-emerged in Uganda four days later.

    His taxi driver said he waited for the veteran politician for more than 12 hours, before deciding to leave when he was unable to phone him.

    Besigye’s team in Uganda started relaying distress calls after their leader’s mobile phones went unanswered.

    His disappearance hit the headlines and raised eyebrows in the region, with his wife Winnie Byanyima, the head of the UN’s organisation to tackle HIV and Aids, taking to social media to report that her husband had been “kidnapped” in Nairobi.

    The next day, his reserved seat at the book launch, where he was expected to be the guest speaker, remained empty with organisers raising the alarm about his absence.

    How was Besigye picked up?

    Besigye and his friend Lutale arrived at the apartment along Riverside Drive where he was due to meet an unidentified Ugandan national and another unknown British national, according to Ms Byanyima.

    The British national supposedly wanted to introduce Besigye to a group of colleagues and businessmen, who had expressed an interest in financially backing the PFF, she said.

    In the room there was a box of what appeared to be a stash of money. One of the hosts had two guns.

    Shortly after a brief introduction, eight men in plain clothes who said they were Kenyan police officers knocked on the door and told Besigye and his associate they were under arrest, Ms Byanyima told Kenya’s Citizen TV.

    The opposition chief tried to explain he had nothing to do with the items in the room, but the security agents did not listen.

    Four of the men bundled Besigye and Lutale into a car with Kenyan number plates and drove them under the cover of night towards the border with Uganda.

    “It was clearly an operation well planned,” Ms Byanyima added.

    Before crossing over to Uganda, the four men switched from speaking Swahili and started talking in the Ugandan languages, Luganda and Runyankole.

    The two held captive were ferried to Uganda without their belongings, including their passports, which were later picked up by Besigye’s party officials from the Nairobi hotel.

    PFF spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda told Uganda’s Monitor newspaper that Besigye and his friend went through the Malaba border post without stopping for routine security checks.

    “They only changed vehicles. The four-wheel drive vehicle with the Kenyan number plate was left at the Malaba border post and moved to another vehicle with [a] Ugandan number plate,” he said.

    Why was Besigye picked up in Nairobi and was he set up?

    Uganda’s Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi said detectives had gathered enough intelligence to arrest Besigye while in Nairobi.

    He said the Kenyan authorities had enabled the cross-border operation, even though officials in Nairobi insist they knew nothing about it.

    Besigye is now being tried in Kampala and not Nairobi because the crime that was planned was “against Uganda and not Kenya”, Ugandan army spokesman Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye told the BBC’s Africa Daily podcast.

    “We have a legal framework with our counterparts in Kenya to deal with matters that threaten regional security,” he added.

    However, he did not explain why there was no extradition process.

    Reports indicate that Besigye’s arrest had been planned for months and was executed with the help of some people who were close to him.

    Organisers of the meeting are said to be a British national and a senior official of the Ugandan army, both of whom were well known to Besigye, Ugandan media reported.

    His wife alleged the British national who was in the meeting was a “paid operative who tried to plant guns” on Besigye.

    Why is Besigye facing a military court?

    Over the decades, hundreds of civilians have been tried in Uganda’s military courts, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled against the practice.

    Besigye, who is no stranger to appearing in military courts, is back there because he subjected himself to military law, Brig Kulayigye told the BBC.

    Last week, he and his co-accused were arraigned at the Makindye military court after being held incommunicado for four days.

    They are facing four charges which include being found with two pistols and ammunition, and seeking to buy weapons from foreigners in the Swiss city of Geneva, the Greek capital, Athens, and Nairobi.

    The two denied all charges.

    Besigye objected to being tried by a court martial, saying that if there were any charges against him, he should be tried in a civilian court.

    His lawyers also argued that the alleged offences were committed outside Uganda and therefore they were arraigned in the court martial illegally.

    But the court overruled the lawyers and allowed the hearing to continue.

    The accused were remanded at Luzira maximum prison until 2 December.

    Agather Atuhaire, a Ugandan lawyer and a human rights activist, told the BBC that Kenya should have arrested Besigye and extradited him to Uganda following the laws that govern the process.

    Ms Byanyima said she did not expect her husband to get justice.

    But Brig Kulayigye said the court martial “is not a kangaroo court”.

    “Justice will be served.”

    Has the matter affected relations between Kenya and Uganda?

    Kenyan authorities have swung between denying any knowledge of the operation and remaining silent, while Ugandan officials say that a lot of intelligence was shared between the two countries.

    “The government of Uganda was in touch with the government of Kenya. Otherwise, how would you arrest somebody in the middle of Nairobi and then bring him back to Uganda, whether through the airport or land, without the full knowledge and support of the state there in Kenya?” Information Minister Baryomunsi told Uganda’s NBS TV.

    Many Kenyans are asking about the nature of security ties between the two countries and if there was a full disclosure that Besigye would be charged in a military court.

    Last Tuesday, Kenya’s acting Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi refrained from giving clear answers to journalists, pleading that his country should not be judged “too harshly”.

    Mudavadi, who is also the acting interior minister, said Kenya was an open country, which allowed “a lot of latitude”. But he warned foreigners against causing a rift between Kenya and their home countries.

    He said Besigye’s matter would be resolved diplomatically, describing Uganda as Kenya’s “strong partner”.

    The acknowledgement by Uganda that Kenya was involved in the abduction has left the Kenyan government facing a backlash both in Uganda and back home.

    Some Ugandans have held protests outside the Kenyan embassy in Kampala while others have threatened to boycott Kenyan brands.

    Besigye’s detention follows a string of high-profile abductions and disappearances in Kenya, including the forced deportation of four Turkish refugees to Ankara, where they faced allegations of conspiring against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

  • Kenya Was Fully Aware Of Besigye’s Abduction In Nairobi, Ugandan Authorities Confirm

    Kenya Was Fully Aware Of Besigye’s Abduction In Nairobi, Ugandan Authorities Confirm

    Kampala on Friday threw Nairobi under the bus in the controversial saga surrounding the abduction of veteran Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi and his subsequent transfer to Kampala to face charges.

    Ugandan Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi confirmed on live television that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s government coordinated with Kenya in the abduction of the opposition leader from Nairobi.

    In an interview on Uganda’s NBS TV on Friday, Baryomunsi said the government of Uganda was coordinating with its Kenyan counterpart in the arrest of Kizza Besigye.

    The minister went further to question how the arrest could have occurred without Kenya’s full knowledge and support.

    “How would you arrest somebody in the middle of Nairobi and then bring him back to Uganda without the full knowledge and support of the government in Kenya?”

    This fresh revelation now puts Nairobi in a tight diplomatic spot, after Kenya vehemently denied participation in Besigye’s abduction which has been condemned widely.

    Kenya’s Foreign Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei denied Kenya’s involvement after news of Besigye’s abduction from Nairobi emerged.

    “There is no reason whatsoever for Kenya to be a party to his arrest, if any,” he said.

    He also defended Kenya’s human rights record.

    “Our human rights record is enviable in the region.”

    Besigye has run against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in four elections and lost each time, although he has always rejected the results.

    On Wednesday, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, claimed her husband had been kidnapped in Nairobi on Saturday at an apartment complex on Riverside Drive.

    According to his family, Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and taken to Uganda and detained in a military prison.

    “I request the government of Uganda to release my husband Dr Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately. He was kidnapped last Saturday while he was in Nairobi for Hon Martha Karua’s book launch. I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala. We, his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Byanyima posted on her X handle.

    Following Besigye’s arrest, his party, through Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Patrick Oboi Amuriat, said they would organise protests at the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala on Monday to express their displeasure with Kenya’s hand in the matter.

  • Kenya Investigating How Uganda Opposition Figure Besigye Was ‘Abducted’

    Kenya Investigating How Uganda Opposition Figure Besigye Was ‘Abducted’

    Kenya’s government has said it was investigating how a prominent Ugandan opposition leader was spirited out of Nairobi this week, amid growing criticism that it had failed to protect foreign dissidents on its soil.

    Kizza Besigye, a longtime rival of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, disappeared in the Kenyan capital on Saturday. He reappeared on Wednesday at a military court in neighbouring Uganda, where he was charged with offences including the illegal possession of firearms.

    Uganda’s government spokesperson said on Wednesday it did not carry out abductions and that arrests abroad were done in collaboration with host countries.

    However in a television interview on Wednesday evening, Korir Sing’oei, principal secretary at Kenya’s foreign ministry, said Besigye’s detention – which he referred to as an abduction – was “not the act of the Kenyan government”.

    Sing’oei said the Kenyan interior ministry had begun an investigation into how Besigye had been “forcefully removed from premises in our country and taken to Uganda”.

    The Ugandan court’s charge sheet alleges that Besigye was found with a pistol and eight rounds of ammunition in the Riverside neighbourhood of Nairobi, where it claimed he had been seeking support to prejudice the security of Uganda’s military.

    Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima, who heads the United Nations HIV/AIDS agency UNAIDS, said he has not owned a gun in the last 20 years.

    “As a civilian, Dr Besigye should be tried in a civilian court NOT a military court,” she wrote on the social media platform X.

    His detention and transfer to Uganda has fuelled criticism of Kenya’s record on human rights and international law.

    In July, Kenyan authorities deported 36 members of Besigye’s political party to Uganda, where they were charged with terrorism-related offences.
    Last month, Kenya deported four Turkish refugees to Ankara, drawing criticism from the United Nations.

    James Risch, the ranking member on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on X that Besigye’s abduction “raises serious questions about important U.S. partners violating (international) norms”.

    Besigye, who was Museveni’s physician during the guerrilla war of the 1980s but later became an outspoken critic, had travelled to Kenya to attend a book launch, said Byanyima, who is UNAIDS’ executive director.

    His transfer to Uganda was “reminiscent of a terrible period in East Africa’s history when state-sponsored kidnappings and cross-border renditions were the order of the day,” the International Commission of Jurists said in a statement.

    Besigye has lost to Museveni in four elections, although he has rejected the results as fraudulent.

  • How Besigye Was Abducted In Nairobi And Secretly Ferried To Kampala Military Jail

    How Besigye Was Abducted In Nairobi And Secretly Ferried To Kampala Military Jail

    Kenya is once again under international scrutiny following the alleged abduction and humiliation of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye.

    The four-time presidential contender is reported to have been abducted on Saturday during a visit to attend the launch of book by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua in Nairobi.

    The incident has fueled outrage across the region, with human rights groups condemning the growing trend of political repression and cross-border targeting of opposition figures.

    Dr Besigye alongside his political ally Hajj Obed Lutale, who were secretly ferried to Uganda, now face charges for alleged illegal possession of firearms, a claim critics say is part of a wider campaign to silence dissent.

    National Police Spokesperson Resila Onyango denied any knowledge of the abduction, while top state officials have remained mum.

    According to Besigye’s family, the opposition leader arrived in Nairobi on Saturday and was picked up at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in Hurlingham where he was booked.

    He reportedly left for Riverside Drive later that day in a taxi to meet an acquaintance, after which he was not seen again in Nairobi.

    The alarm was first raised by his wife, Winnie Byanyima, who took to social media to highlight his disappearance. She claimed he was being held at a military facility.

    “We his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” she posted on X.

    Back in Uganda, the two were charged with four counts of illegal possession of two pistols and rounds of ammunition and soliciting funds to prejudice the security of the Defence Forces. The offences were allegedly committed in Athens, Geneva and Nairobi.

    Uganda media reported that they were arraigned at the Makindye Military Court chaired by Brigadier Freeman Mugabe, and would remain in custody until they reappear on December 2.

    Ugandan government had earlier denied knowledge of Besigye’s whereabouts.

    On Wednesday, Besigye said he had not spoken to anyone, including his lawyers, since he was kidnapped. “I was only informed that I am coming to court a few minutes ago,” he said.

    Kenya’s Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei did not respond to our calls and text messages.

    Karua and the Pan African Opposition Leaders Solidarity Network called on Presidents Yoweri Museveni and William Ruto to come clean on the circumstances under which Besigye was abducted.

    “We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Besigye by his captors, who we believe are Kenyan and Ugandan security agencies, and an end to cooperation by both counties on these inhuman and illegal practices that violate both municipal and international law, and which are informed by intimidation, malice and impunity,” read their statement.

    “We suspect that Dr Besigye may have been abducted after he was dropped at the Riverside Apartments, most likely by Ugandan authorities working with and facilitation from Kenyan authorities.”

    The opposition leaders challenged the National Police Service to account for Besigye who disappeared from Kenya.

    “We hold both the governments of Kenya and Uganda responsible and challenge them to conduct their cross-border operation in accordance with their respective law and international law,” the leaders said.

    “Abductions/kidnappings by state security forces are not the legal way for cooperation between Uganda and Kenya. This is in violation of local and international law.”

    The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also termed the incident a retrogression in democracy.

    LSK President Faith Odhiambo urged the international community to intervene.

    “We are witnessing a return to an era of abductions and killings, which undermines freedom and democratic processes,” she said.

    Uganda’s veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye (unseen) is transported inside an Ugandan military police vehicle as he arrives at the Makindye Martial Court in Kampala, on November 20, 2024. [AFP]

    Ugandan Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine called for Besigye’s release, condemning the “abuse of the law by the regime here in Uganda, and sadly the authorities in Kenya.”

    “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.”

    The leaders also condemned the abduction of 36 Ugandans on July 23 in Kisumu by armed men who took them back to the country.

    The members of the Forum for Democratic Change Party were attending a meeting at the Ukweli Pastoral Centre.

    The incident drew the ire of Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o. “Although the County Government of Kisumu has no link with the politicians, we condemn in the strongest terms possible the human rights violations meted out against them within the territory of Kisumu County,” said Prof Nyong’o.

    According to the Governor, the rooms where the politicians were booked were broken into by people believed to be Ugandan security agencies working with their Kenyan counterparts.

    Besigye’s abduction comes just a few weeks after that of six Turkish nationals residing in Kenya as protected refugees by the United Nations.

    Mustafa Genc, Huseyin Yesila, Ozturk Uzun, Alpaslan Tasci, Necdet Seyitoglu and two others were abducted at different times in Kilimani, Nairobi.

    Seyitoglu was freed after identifying as a Briton. Also freed was a woman and her child.

    Days later, PS Sing’oei said Genc, Yesila, Uzun and Tasci had been handed over to the Turkish government over treasonous charges.

    “The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has received assurance from the Turkish authorities that the four will be treated with dignity in keeping with the national and international law,” he said.

    Others who went missing on Kenyan soil are Ethiopia’s Samson Tecklemichael, Nigeria’s Nnamdi Kanu, Selahaddin Gulen, South Sudan’s Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak, and Seth Sendashonga.

    Others are Dong Samuel Luak, Aggrey Idri Ezibon, and Abdullah Ocalan.

    Some of the dissidents who have been killed on Kenyan soil are Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif and Rwanda’s Theoneste Lizinde and Augustin Bugirimfura.

  • Besigye Kidnapped In Nairobi And Now Being Held In Kampala Military Jail, Wife Says

    Besigye Kidnapped In Nairobi And Now Being Held In Kampala Military Jail, Wife Says

    Uganda Opposition leader Kizza Besigye was traced to a military detention centre after he went missing in Nairobi on Saturday, November 16.

    He was later traced to a military detention centre in Kampala, Uganda, his wife Winnie Byanyima said.

    It is not clear who was behind the incident.

    He had come to Nairobi to attend an event organized by Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua, Byanyima said.

    Byanyima who is the executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), on Wednesday, asked Uganda’s military to release her husband Besigye from military detention in Kampala where he’s reportedly being held.

    He had gone missing in Nairobi where he came to attend a book launch by Kenya’s former Minister for Justice, Martha Karua.

    The motive behind the incident is not yet clear.

    The four-time presidential contender is said to have gone missing in Kenyan on Saturday.

    Officials said that the veteran opposition leader was last seen on Saturday evening at an apartment complex on Riverside Drive in Nairobi.

    He had been trailed and abducted before being driven to Uganda, almost 500 kilometers away.

    “I request the government of Uganda to release my husband Dr Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately. He was kidnapped last Saturday while he was in Nairobi for Hon Martha Karua’s book launch. I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala. We his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Byanyima posted on her X handle on Wednesday.

    Besigye had been booked to stay at a hotel in Hurlingham, which is about 15 minutes by car from the Riverside Drive apartment.

    An official at the hotel said Besigye had not returned to the hotel since he left on Saturday.

    There was no immediate comment from police authorities in Nairobi.

    His disappearance follows the July 23 arrest of 36 Ugandan activists associated with him in Kisumu before they were shipped to Uganda.

    The political activists were abducted and ferried back to Uganda where they were charged with treason and remanded to Kitalya Prison.

    The activists, who were recently released on bail, pleaded not guilty to the charges and said they were attending a workshop when they were arrested.

    The 36 activists claim to have been tortured during their detention.

    Kenya has been fighting the abduction claims saying all those being arrested are usually taken to gazette police stations for processing.

  • Police surrounds Wine, Besigye homes ahead of Museveni oath

    Police surrounds Wine, Besigye homes ahead of Museveni oath

    Police in Uganda have surrounded the homes of the opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi  Wine and that of the former presidential aspirant Kizza Besigye as the country prepares to swear in President Yoweri Museveni for a sixth term tomorrow.

    Museveni won the flawed elections in January 2021 after the country’s electoral commission dismissed all the allegations of vote rigging and intimidation claims made by opposition candidate Bobi Wine.

    Wine and Besigye  took to  their Twitter handles on Monday night where they expressed concerns over heavy police presence around their homes. The two including their supporters have been harassment by law enforcement officers for challenging Museveni’s long dictatorial rule.

    Bobi Wine, a pop star turned politician termed Museveni’s action as “cowardly” as Besigye maintains that Museveni’s swearing-in for the sixth time is “illegal”.

    But Uganda’s National Army Deputy Spokesperson, Deo Akiiki, defended the heavy deployment of police as a move to avert possible chaos during the swearing in ceremony.

    “With credible evidence from intelligence, we shall not hesitate to arrest more of these schemers as and when we detect,” said Akiiki.

    The long serving president has always ensured that his inaugurations are marred by heavy security presence especially in urban areas and their surroundings.

    Ugandan media has reported that close to 4,000 people, including 11 Heads of State, have been invited to Museveni’s oath taking which will be held at the Kololo Grounds in the capital Kampala.

    Museveni grabbed  power in 1986 after overthrowing General Tito Okello, who had only ruled the country for 181 days but since then he [Museveni] has rigged and ‘won’ all presidential elections in Uganda.

    He got 5.85 million votes which represents 58.64 % of the total votes cast in the January 14, 2021 presidential election, while his closest challenger, Wine, got 3.48 million votes (34.83 %). But Bobi Wine said the results were doctored to hand Museveni an illegitimate win.

    Election monitors also reported that the confidence in the count was damaged by a three-day internet outage and dozens of people who were killed during violence in the run-up to the election.

    But opposition politicians including Besigye who unsuccessfully challenged Museveni in three elections have always been harassed by Museveni’s officers. He wondered why the state deployed police to his home yet he was out of the country.