Opposition leaders in Uganda on Monday called for the immediate release of a detained opposition figure facing a military trial, following a Supreme Court ruling that civilians cannot be prosecuted in military courts.
Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and longtime critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has been in detention since his repatriation from Nairobi, Kenya, after he went missing on Nov. 16. Days later, Besigye and an aide appeared before a military tribunal in Kampala on charges of illegal possession of a firearm and threatening national security. He was later charged with treason, an offense that carries the death penalty.
The Supreme Court ruled last week that civilians cannot be court-martialed, questioning the jurisdiction of military courts over non-military personnel. The decision was welcomed by legal activists and Besigye’s supporters, who argued it provided a legal pathway for his release.
“Besigye is in Luzira now illegally,” said opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, referring to the maximum-security prison where he is being held.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago, a close associate of Besigye, said Ugandans “are duty-bound to enforce” the court’s decision.
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, responded to the ruling by asserting that “the country is not governed by the judges.”
Oryem Nyeko, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the court’s decision was a critical step toward ensuring fair trials in Uganda. He urged the government to “uphold justice for civilians wrongly convicted under military courts as well as those awaiting trial.”
Besigye was expected to appear before the military panel on Monday, but the hearing did not take place amid heavy police and military presence outside the court.
A veteran opposition leader, Besigye has been arrested multiple times but has never been convicted of a crime. Amnesty International also called for his release, condemning his “abduction” as a violation of international human rights law.
His detention comes as Uganda prepares for presidential elections next year. While Museveni is expected to seek re-election, some political observers speculate that he may step aside. The ruling National Resistance Movement party has no clear successor, raising concerns over potential political instability.
Besigye, 68, is a retired military officer and former leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, once Uganda’s most prominent opposition party. A former personal doctor and military aide to Museveni, Besigye broke ties with the president in the 1990s, accusing him of authoritarianism.
