A Ugandan court has denied bail to veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, even after surpassing the constitutional six-month detention limit without trial.
Besigye, 69, was abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 by unidentified armed men and resurfaced days later before a military tribunal in Uganda.
He was charged with treason, an offence that carries a possible death sentence.
A former physician to President Yoweri Museveni, Besigye has long been a political rival of the Ugandan leader, challenging his nearly four-decade grip on power.
Under Uganda’s constitution, any suspect must be released on bail after 180 days if trial proceedings have not begun. That threshold was crossed this week, yet Besigye remains behind bars.
Initially tried in a military court, his case was transferred to a civilian court in February following a hunger strike protest.
However, a controversial bill passed this week by Uganda’s parliament now permits civilians to be retried in military courts, raising legal concerns both locally and internationally.
In Friday’s tense court session, Magistrate Esther Nyadoi declined to rule on Besigye’s bail application, choosing instead to review the prosecution’s case. In protest, his legal team and supporters walked out of the courtroom, leaving Besigye to raise his voice alone.
“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 told the court.
The case was adjourned to May 29, prolonging his detention.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi admitted earlier this week that Kenya collaborated with Uganda during Besigye’s abduction. Defending the move, he told AFP:
“Uganda is our largest export market… Kenya is not on trial.”
Human rights groups have condemned both governments, calling for Besigye’s immediate release and a full investigation into the legality of his cross-border arrest.
