Detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has initiated a hunger strike as he approaches three months in custody while awaiting trial. The 68-year-old has been charged in a military court with illegal possession of firearms and attempting to acquire weapons internationally, allegations he firmly rejects. On Tuesday, a representative from Besigye’s political organization, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), informed the BBC, “We believe he is protesting his continued imprisonment; he should be at home.” Although Besigye’s trial was originally delayed until January, the exact start date for the court proceedings remains uncertain.
Besigye used to be a personal doctor for Uganda’s longtime president, Yoweri Museveni, but went on to become an opposition leader.
He has contested and lost four presidential elections against Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. The veteran opposition figure has previously accused the Ugandan authorities of political persecution.
He has been less active in politics in recent years, and did not contest the 2021 election.
However, Besigye returned to the headlines last month after he was dramatically abducted while visiting Kenya and forcibly taken to Uganda.
The detention sparked widespread condemnation and fears of a clandestine exchange of intelligence between the two neighbours.
Besigye was then charged along with an aide, Obeid Lutale. Mr Lutale also denied the charges.
In a landmark ruling last month, Uganda’s Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional for military courts to try civilians, ordering the transfer of all such cases to civilian courts.
The move angered President Museveni, who dismissed it as “a wrong decision” and vowed to challenge the ruling.
Besigye has had various other run-ins with the law.
On Tuesday, the opposition politician was expected to appear before a civilian court for a hearing on a 2022 case in which he is accused of holding an unlawful demonstration. However, he did not attend the hearing, citing health reasons.
In 2005, Besigye was arrested while returning from a political rally ahead of the 2006 presidential polls and charged with treason. The charges were thrown out by the courts.
He was also charged with rape in a separate case. The charges were later dropped. He said all the allegations were part of a campaign of political persecution.
Museveni has defended the use of military courts to try civilians.
He said any crime involving a gun was dealt with in a military court to ensure the country’s stability as civilian courts took too long to deal with cases.
Opposition parties have frequently complained about restrictions on political activities, alleging that Museveni fears political competition.
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Museveni’s supporters deny the allegation, and say he has maintained stability during his rule of almost 40 years. Museveni has justified the application of military courts for civilian trials. He stated that any offense involving firearms is addressed in a military court to maintain national stability, as civilian courts often take an excessive amount of time to resolve such cases. Opposition parties have consistently raised concerns regarding limitations on political activities, claiming that Museveni is apprehensive about political rivalry. However, Museveni’s supporters refute this claim, asserting that he has upheld stability throughout his nearly 40 years in power.
