KAMPALA, Uganda – A Ugandan court has refused to grant bail to veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, extending his detention on treason charges that have kept him behind bars for nearly nine months.
Justice Emmanuel Baguma on Friday dismissed Besigye’s bail application, ruling that the constitutional 180-day limit — which would mandate automatic bail if a suspect has not been tried — had not yet elapsed.
According to the judge, the clock only began on February 21, when Besigye was formally remanded by a civilian court after his transfer from a military tribunal.
That means fewer than 180 days have passed, making him ineligible for automatic release.
Besigye, 68, a former army doctor and four-time presidential challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, was arrested in November last year after being forcibly returned from Kenya.
Initially charged in a military court, he was later shifted to the civilian justice system, where he denies all allegations against him.
His lawyers had argued that his prolonged pre-trial detention violated his constitutional rights, but the court’s ruling dashed hopes of securing his release.
The opposition leader’s continued incarceration has sparked condemnation from rights groups and political rivals, including National Unity Platform leader Bobi Wine, who accuse the government of weaponising the courts to silence critics ahead of Uganda’s elections early next year.
President Museveni, 80, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, is expected to seek re-election in 2026 despite growing concerns about political repression.
Government officials reject accusations of political persecution, insisting that charges against Besigye and other opposition figures are based on legitimate criminal allegations.
Besigye, a founding member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, has yet to say whether he will contest the upcoming presidential race.
He has unsuccessfully run against Museveni in four previous elections, each marred by disputes over fairness and transparency.
His detention adds to mounting political tensions in Uganda, where analysts warn of an increasingly narrow space for opposition activity as the election cycle intensifies.
