9th December 2024: A group of Ugandan opposition leaders has issued a joint statement condemning the abduction of Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obeid Kamulegeya from Kenya on November 16, 2024. 

The leaders described the act as “a complete violation of domestic, regional and international laws.”

They insisted that “the charges against Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obeid Kamulegeya are dropped and if not, that they be swiftly transferred to civilian courts bearing jurisdiction to try the alleged offences.” 

The statement asserted that “the military court… has no jurisdiction to try civilians” and questioned the fairness of the trial, arguing that “they cannot get a free and fair trial at the General Court Martial, where the military is the complainant, the prosecutor and the judge.” 

The state accuses Besigye of engaging in acts that threaten national security. 

Besigye was heard on recorded tapes asking for a drone from an arms-dealer-turned-informer.

Besigye asked whether the drone could hit a helicopter, a statement officials said was a veiled reference to the presidential aircraft. 

In their statement, the opposition leaders cited previous rulings by Uganda’s Constitutional Court and demanded that “all cases involving the numerous political prisoners and other civilians must be terminated or transferred to civilian courts.”

 They called on Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo and the Supreme Court “to rise to the occasion and put an end to the trial of civilians in military courts, and their attendant violations of human rights.”

The statement was signed by notable opposition leaders representing various political parties and formations, who included Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (NUP), Joel Ssenyonyi (NUP), Lukwago Erias (FDC), Mugisha Muntu (ANT), Winnie Kiiza (ANT), John Ken Lukyamuzi and Doreen Nyanjura among others.

By ChimpReports