Besigye Denied Bail Despite Expiry of Legal Detention Limit
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was denied bail despite exceeding the legal detention limit without trial. His treason case has stirred protests, with his lawyers walking out in court. Kenya admitted to cooperating in his controversial abduction from Nairobi.
Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was on Friday denied bail by a Ugandan court, despite surpassing the country’s six-month legal detention limit without trial. Besigye, 69, was abducted in Nairobi in November and later resurfaced before a Ugandan military court where he was charged with treason—a capital offence.
Besigye, once personal physician to President Yoweri Museveni, turned into a fierce critic and has vied for the presidency multiple times. Under Ugandan law, a suspect must be released on bail after 180 days if trial hasnt begun. However, the court instead chose to assess the prosecutions case, triggering a walkout by Besigye’s lawyers and supporters.
The high-profile case was shifted to a civilian court in February following a hunger strike by Besigye, but a controversial new bill passed this week now permits civilians to be tried in military courts. His next hearing has been pushed to May 29.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi confirmed the country’s cooperation with Uganda in Besigye’s abduction. Though he acknowledged Uganda as a key trade partner, he declined to comment on the legality of the deportation, stating: "Kenya is not on trial."
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