KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has accused opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye of deliberately frustrating court proceedings by refusing to stand trial on treason charges, intensifying a long-running legal and political dispute that has attracted regional and international attention.
Speaking during a national address on Saturday 4, July 2026, Museveni questioned why the judicial process had not progressed and argued that Dr. Besigye should use the courts to challenge the allegations against him rather than contest the proceedings themselves.
“Besigye has created drama in courts of law. Why should the legal system for so long allow an accused person to just refuse to be tried? Is that a good system?” President Museveni said.
The President argued that a trial would provide Dr. Besigye with an opportunity to prove his innocence and expose any alleged wrongdoing by the state if the accusations were unfounded.
“Why would this great democrat and human rights fighter, Dr. Kizza Besigye, spend so many calories on refusing to go to trial where he would have the opportunity to prove his innocence and expose the undemocratic behaviour of Museveni and his family?” he added.
A case marked by legal twists
Museveni’s remarks come against the backdrop of a complex case that has undergone several legal and constitutional challenges since Besigye’s arrest.
Dr. Besigye and his aide Obeid Lutale were arrested in Nairobi in November 2024 and subsequently charged with treason and misprision of treason before Uganda’s General Court Martial.
However, the proceedings were later overtaken by a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court of Uganda, which held that civilians cannot be tried before military courts.
The decision compelled the state to discontinue the military proceedings and transfer the case to the civilian justice system.
The ruling was widely viewed as one of the most significant judicial decisions affecting military jurisdiction in Uganda in recent years.
Hunger strike and detention concerns
The case attracted further scrutiny earlier this year when Dr. Besigye launched a hunger strike to protest his continued detention and the pace of legal proceedings.
His declining health prompted emergency court appearances and renewed debate over prolonged pre-trial detention, with opposition groups and human rights organisations raising concerns about due process and the treatment of political detainees.
Government officials, however, have maintained that the case is being handled within the framework of the law.
Dispute over legal representation
The latest delays have largely centred on disagreements regarding Besigye’s legal representation.
During a recent court appearance, Dr. Besigye insisted that former Kenyan Justice Minister Martha Karua should lead his defence team alongside Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Karua was later denied entry and deported from Uganda after authorities declared her an undesirable entrant, despite her publicly stating that she had travelled to Kampala to participate in Dr. Besigye’s defence.
Also Read: The betrayal of a comrade: Why Museveni must end the ‘endless injustice’ against Besigye
Lukwago, meanwhile, was arrested on allegations of misprision and remains in custody.
Addressing court earlier this week, Dr. Besigye said he had instructed the remaining members of his legal team to withdraw from the case, arguing that he did not want them exposed to arrest or legal difficulties arising from their representation.
He also indicated that he would not appoint a replacement lead lawyer in place of Karua and Lukwago, creating a fresh procedural obstacle as prosecutors seek to move the trial forward.
Political implications
The case continues to carry significant political implications in Uganda, where Dr. Besigye remains one of Museveni’s longest-serving and most prominent political rivals.
A former military officer and personal physician to Museveni during Uganda’s liberation struggle, Dr. Besigye has contested multiple presidential elections against the incumbent and has frequently accused the government of suppressing political opposition.
Government officials deny those allegations and insist that the charges against him are criminal rather than political.
With both sides maintaining sharply different positions, the proceedings are expected to remain a focal point of Uganda’s political landscape in the months ahead.
