Besigye terminates his hunger strike subsequent to the transfer of his case to a civilian court

Dr. Kizza Besigye, a detained veteran opposition politician, has canceled his hunger strike after being charged with treason on Friday, February 21 in the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court in connection with his alleged kidnapping from Nairobi, Kenya in November of last year.

The Supreme Court’s historic decision on January 31 prevented the General Court Martial, in which he and his aide, Hajj Obeid Lutale, were being tried, from trying civilians, prompting the four-time presidential candidate to go on a hunger strike more than a week ago to protest his continued detention without a remand warrant.

The transfer of civilian files from the Military Courts to regular courts with appropriate authority was mandated by the Supreme Court.

However, the previous president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) protested the government’s delayed implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision.

After being formally charged with treason, Dr. Besigye was arraigned before the magistrate’s court in Nakawa, Kampala. With a legal remand warrant from this honorable court, he has decided to end the hunger strike. In protest of wrongful imprisonment, he went on a hunger strike. They had not appeared in court to face any charges since January 31st, when the General Court Marital procedures were canceled and no charges were pending. Due process must now be followed because they brought him, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, whose attorney represented Dr. Besigye, said this reporter.

In order to provide Dr. Besigye with greater access to healthcare outside of prison, he stated that they intended to apply for bail today.

The processing of his bail is currently underway. Our goal is to submit the application today,” he stated.

Dennis Oola, the UPDF captain and member of the Armored Brigade, Dr. Besigye, and his assistant Obeid Lutale were charged with treason and prosecuted before the Nakawa Magistrate’s Court.

According to the prosecution, Dr. Col. (rtd) Besigye, 67; Lutale, 65; Captain Oola, 48; and other individuals who were still at large between 2023 and November 2024 in a number of locations and nations, including Geneva, Switzerland; Athens, Greece; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda, orchestrated a plot, act, or matter by force of arms to overthrow the Ugandan government as established by law, and they expressed or declared such a plot, act, or matter by utterances and overt acts.

A different charge against them is misprision of treason, which is against section 25 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 128.

Offense specifics

Between 2023 and November 2024, Dr. Besigye, Lutale, Captain Oola, and others who were still at large between Geneva, Switzerland; Athens, Greece; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda, knew that someone else was planning to commit treason, but they failed to notify the Minister, an administrative officer, a magistrate, or an officer in charge of a police station as soon as possible, or take all reasonable steps to stop the treason from happen.

At their first arraignment, they were accused of betraying the government and unlawfully possessing two handguns and eight rounds of ammunition before the General Court Martial.

By claiming that the General Court Martial lacked the authority to punish them as civilians, Dr. Besigye and Lutale refused to enter a plea to the accusations.

The Supreme Court decided in their favor in a lawsuit that had been brought four years prior on January 31 in a historic ruling. In addition to directing the transfer of files to regular courts with appropriate jurisdiction, the court ordered the military tribunals to stop prosecuting civilians.

The Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and director supervisor of the military courts, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and his son, President Museveni, called the Supreme Court’s verdict a “wrong decision.”
In recent weeks, Gen. Muhoozi has made a vow to “hang Dr. Besigye” through X postings, calling him a traitor who sought to “kill” his father, without offering any supporting documentation.

It has been reported that Dr. Besigye and Lutale were kidnapped from Nairobi in November of last year after traveling to Kenya to attend the book launch of Martha Karua, an opposition politician in Kenya.

They were held for days at the Makindye Military Barracks after spending the night on the way back to Uganda. They were subsequently accused and arraigned before the General Court Martial.