KAMPALA, Uganda – Veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been formally charged with treason in a civilian court, following the transfer of his case from a military tribunal.
The 68-year-old, a longtime critic of President Yoweri Museveni, could face the death penalty if convicted.
Besigye appeared at the Nakawa Magistrate’s Court in Kampala on Friday alongside his co-accused, aide Obeid Lutale and military officer Denis Oola.
However, none of the defendants entered a plea, as treason cases can only be heard in a higher court.
This marks a significant shift in Besigye’s legal battle, which began after he was abducted in Kenya last November and forcibly returned to Uganda to face military prosecution.
His detention sparked outrage among opposition supporters and human rights groups.
His case was transferred to a civilian court following a landmark Supreme Court ruling last month that declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.
The decision, which affected multiple cases, angered President Museveni, who publicly criticized it as “a wrong decision.”
Besigye had been on a hunger strike protesting his detention but ended it ahead of his court appearance.
Visibly weak, he was wheeled into the courtroom as his legal team pressed for his transfer to a better medical facility—a request that was denied by Magistrate Esther Nyadoi, who instead ordered his remand until next month for further investigations.
The charge sheet alleges that Besigye held meetings in Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya between 2023 and November 2024 to plot the removal of Museveni’s government.
Prosecutors also accuse him of soliciting military, financial, and logistical support for an alleged coup.
Notably, previous military court charges of illegal possession of ammunition and treachery were not included in the civilian indictment.
Besigye, a former physician to Museveni, has run against the president in four elections and remains one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures.
While he did not contest the 2021 election, his prosecution underscores the persistent tensions between the government and its critics.
His legal team is expected to challenge the case when it is formally moved to the High Court in the coming weeks.
