KAMPALA, Uganda — Kenyan Senior Counsel and prominent opposition leader Martha Karua made a significant appearance today at the High Court in Kampala, joining Ugandan opposition leaders and legal counsel for a highly anticipated hearing involving veteran opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Ms. Karua, a respected lawyer and former Kenyan Justice Minister, stood in solidarity with Besigye’s defense team and political associates this morning.
The delegation included key Ugandan political and legal figures such as Counsel Erias Lukwago, Members of Parliament (MPs) Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and Francis Mwijukye, and Ambassador Wasswa Biriggwa. Their collective presence at the court premises underscored the gravity and broad interest in the proceedings.
By mid-morning, journalists and supporters of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) awaited updates outside, as security and court officials carefully managed access to the courtroom, reflecting the expected high public interest in the case.
Dr. Besigye, a retired Colonel, veteran political figure, and long-time advocate for democratic reforms, co-founded the PFF as a platform dedicated to pushing for political change in Uganda. His current legal confrontation adds another chapter to his extensive record of clashes with the state, intensifying the national debate surrounding political freedoms and government accountability.
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The specific case stems from the controversial arrest of Dr. Besigye and his associate Obeid Lutale in November 2024. The two were apprehended in Nairobi, where they had traveled to attend Ms. Karua’s book launch.
They were subsequently extradited to Uganda and initially faced charges in a military court.
Following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on January 30, 2025, which stripped military courts of the jurisdiction to try civilians, the pair was detained further and then re-charged by the state with treason and misprision of treason in the civilian courts.
The visible support demonstrated by Karua and other high-profile figures is widely interpreted as a growing signal of cross-border solidarity for the PFF leader.
Political observers note that the outcome of this case holds potential legal and political ramifications not only for Uganda’s opposition politics but for broader democratic struggles across the East African region.