High court judge Douglas Singiza has further remanded Col Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Obeid Lutale, after failing to deliver a ruling on their habeas corpus application, saying it will be delivered on notice.
During the court proceedings, Besigye’s supporters voiced concerns about his deteriorating health, arguing that he was under heavy guard despite struggling to breathe due to overcrowding and poor ventilation.
Despite his frail and visibly weak condition, Besigye arrived in court wearing red bathroom sandals, handcuffed, and heavily leaning on Lutale for support. The courtroom was packed, with security personnel occupying reserved seats. Initially placed in the dock, Besigye’s laboured breathing soon became evident, prompting requests for prison authorities to assist him.
More than ten prison officers surrounded him. Noting his condition, judge Singiza ordered prison officials to take Besigye back, pausing proceedings briefly to clear his exit.
When court resumed, chaos erupted as lawyers pushed for the unconditional release of Besigye and Lutale. The packed courtroom saw members of the public forced to vacate seats for late-arriving officials, including members of parliament, further fueling disorder.
Amidst the proceedings, prison officers also presented lawyer Eron Kiiza, making his first public appearance since his conviction and imprisonment in January 2025. The crowd erupted in cheers, hailing him as “Eron Kiiza, the Conqueror of the Court Martial.”
Judge Singiza advised Erias Lukwago, leading Besigye’s legal team, that habeas corpus applications are typically filed when a person’s whereabouts are unknown. He questioned the necessity of the application since Besigye’s location was established.
However, lawyer Medard Lubega Sseggona clarified that the petition sought to compel the Attorney General to justify Besigye’s detention without a valid remand warrant, which violated his right to liberty. Lukwago further argued that Besigye should be released to seek medical treatment at a hospital of his choice.
He referenced a recent Supreme court ruling that barred the trial of civilians in military courts—where Besigye and Lutale were facing charges of treachery and illegal possession of firearms.
By the time Besigye and Lutale exited the courtroom, neither the Attorney General nor the Commissioner of Prisons was present.
Meanwhile, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, has filed a separate application seeking his immediate and unconditional release. The petition, lodged last week, requests a writ of habeas corpus, compelling the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Prisons to produce Besigye and Lutale before the court.
Byanyima’s affidavit details Besigye’s abduction from Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, and his subsequent unlawful detention at Makindye Military Barracks. It further highlights that despite the Supreme court’s ruling against trying civilians in military courts, Besigye and Lutale were charged before the General Court Martial.
The application also seeks costs and demands that Besigye and Lutale be produced for further legal action. The two were allegedly abducted from Riverside in Nairobi while attending a book launch, forcibly transported to Uganda, and later arraigned before the General Court Martial on charges of treachery and unlawful possession of firearms.
The prosecution claims that between February 2023 and November 2024, Besigye and Lutale held meetings in international locations—including Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi seeking logistical support and identifying military targets in Uganda to undermine the security of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
This is not Besigye’s first encounter with military courts. In 2006, he was charged with treason, rape, and concealment of treason – charges that were later dismissed. He has consistently accused the government of politically motivated persecution, insisting that the latest charges are yet another attempt to derail his political career.
I said it before. Same trajectory as we approach elections. Many people are going to lose their lives if this nasty thing is not stopped. Nobody is safe even those hounding Dr Besigye.
Marc Mae one cannot understand why many people of Uganda under your so called political trajectory are going to loose their lives. It is only the NRM people who are involved in such judicial nastiness and the ones who declare that they have all the human rights to hold guns in this country. Much of the public that is watching such nasty treatment being meted against Dr Besigye are concerned and want it stopped. So why should the public loose their lives over such a government crime. One reckons election is a human rights process of electing new leaders to lead and serve the people of this country proper! So why should people be beaten up, locked up in prisons, crucified and killed by their fellow African brothers and sisters because of practicing their universal human rights?
Probably Justice Singiza was eyeballed and hypnotized by the morally callous and diabolic 80-year-old Dictator. If not then he will consciously do the right thing.
Whatever the circumstances and dictate that prevented Justice Singiza from ordering for the release of Dr. Besigye; all the Judges (Judicial officials) of this country must be reminded that: it is not the self-confessed and criminally minded Dictator who pays their salaries from the sales of his cattle and/or milk products.
But it is the oppressed and impoverished Ugandans, who dearly pay their untaxed and fat salaries and other emoluments (ebiggenderakko). It would therefore be morally and ethically bankrupting if they have to make court ruling out the fear of a dictator and our 80-year-old “Problem of Africa”.
People in judiciary are just stooges being shifted here and there by the old dictator.
And because of such that’s why we see cases like that of the late Hon Ssegirinya.
{Many people are going to lose their lives if this nasty thing is not stopped. Nobody is safe even those hounding Dr Besigye.}
Marc Mae, thanks.
Justice Singiza is ensuring no opposition to Rwandese Museveni, but Ugandans can stop all this by UNITING as ONE PEOPLE to block Museveni, then form the kind of governance they want without armed war!
Ugandans MUST WAKE UP & stop fighting one another for Museveni who is the only danger to them!
{why should people be beaten up, locked up in prisons, crucified and killed by their fellow African brothers and sisters because of practicing their universal human rights?}
kabayekka, agreed and,
Reason Ugandans MUST bring down the tribalistic system Rwandese Museveni so so cleaverly put in place, knowing as long as Ugandans are powerless tribally divided ruled by him, there is no way he & family will be stopped!
Why?
Because powerless tribally divided ruled Ugandans will fight one another, fight for posts, lock up their own opposing Museveni in prison, try them in the fake justice in the fake country!
Museveni & family are assured of ownership of Uganda by Ugandans who alone, by UNITING as ONE PEOPLE, will have the POWER to get back the zone formed by their tribal lands, then govern as they wish, without armed war!
Museveni has assured there won’t be opposer to him at next fake presidential election, yet Ugandans still talk about it, instead of calling tribal leaders to stand down & to UNITY, the only POWER theyneed, WHY!
How will Dr Besigye, Bobi Wine…go against Museveni at next fake presidential election when they are already out, sick, in prison?
Ugandans, please WAK UP, NOW!
{the Judges (Judicial officials) must be reminded that: it is not the self-confessed and criminally minded Dictator who pays their salaries from the sales of his cattle and/or milk products.
{But it is the oppressed and impoverished Ugandans, who dearly pay their untaxed and fat salaries and other emoluments. It would therefore be morally and ethically bankrupting if they have to make court ruling out the fear of a dictator and our 80-year-old “Problem of Africa”.}
Lakwena, thanks.
Why are tribal leaders still in posts enjoying free money for ensuring Ugandans are POWERLESS tribally divided slaves & why are Ugandans going along with all this inhumanity tribally, legally, officially, constitutionally?
Why don’t Ugandans believe they have the right to live as humans, but ensure their enslavement to Rwandese Museveni who owns the zone formed by their tribal lands, owns tax money, controls every institution?
Why are Ugandans willing slaves of the migrant family & just want to remain so when all they have to do is become ONE PEOPLE & block the evil family, then form the kind of governance they want, without armed war?
Not to forget this will make Ugandans look at each other as humans again, bring them back to today world & not ignored tribalists anymore!
What I meant is that if this judicial injustice is not checked the Govt is going to continue arresting, torturing innocent people and refusing them bail under all sorts pretexts with their so called military courts especially during this heated period of elections
It’s obvious that the dictatorship of the day wants Besigye dead but the Almighty God is the final answer.
We had Idi Amin, but we survived him-so is this junta.