Summary:
- “We condemn their trial in the military court, which has no jurisdiction over civilians, and further assert our belief that they cannot get a free and fair trial at the General Court Martial, where the military acts as the complainant, prosecutor, and judge,” the statement read.
KAMPALA: Members of the Opposition from various political parties on Monday condemned the abduction and subsequent military trial of Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obed Kamulegeya.
In a joint statement signed by leaders including Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Mugisha Muntu and Winnie Kiiza of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Erias Lukwago and Nyanjura Doreen of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)/People’s Front for Transition (PFF), and Hon. Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party (CP), they called for their trial to be conducted in civilian courts if there are legitimate charges against them.
“We condemn their trial in the military court, which has no jurisdiction over civilians, and further assert our belief that they cannot get a free and fair trial at the General Court Martial, where the military acts as the complainant, prosecutor, and judge,” the statement read.
The Opposition leaders decried the abduction of Dr. Besigye and Hajji Kamulegeya from Kenya, a sovereign state, on November 16, 2024. They described the act as a blatant violation of domestic, regional, and international laws.
They also demanded an immediate end to the trial of civilians in military courts, in line with previous rulings by Uganda’s Constitutional Court.
“All cases involving political prisoners and other civilians must either be terminated or transferred to civilian courts,” they emphasized.
The leaders urged Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo and the Supreme Court to intervene and bring an end to the practice of trying civilians in military courts, citing the persistent human rights violations associated with such trials.
They further demanded the dismissal of charges against Dr. Besigye and Hajji Kamulegeya or, at the very least, their transfer to civilian courts with the appropriate jurisdiction to try the alleged offenses.
Kyagulanyi pointed out that the NUP has been a major victim of what he termed as “kangaroo courts,” revealing that over 2,000 party members were charged in military courts during the 2021 electoral season.
Former Leader of the Opposition Winnie Kiiza also criticized the Uganda Law Council for delaying the issuance of a temporary practicing permit to Martha Karua, one of the lead lawyers in the Besigye and Kamulegeya case.
The leaders’ position aligns with the 2021 ruling by Uganda’s Constitutional Court, which declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.
Besigye, a renowned opposition figure and former presidential candidate, was abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, and later arraigned before a Ugandan military court. He was charged with security-related offenses, including the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
