Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye on hunger strike amid legal Battle
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has begun a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention, which has now stretched to nearly three months. The 68-year-old politician, a vocal critic of President Yoweri Museveni, faces charges in a military court for allegedly possessing firearms and attempting to acquire weapons abroad—claims he denies.
Besigye’s trial, initially postponed to January, remains stalled, with no clear timeline for proceedings.
According to a reliable source the hunger strike is a response to his unjust imprisonment. “He should not be in prison; he should be home,” the source said.
The case has drawn widespread attention, particularly after Besigye was reportedly abducted in Kenya last month and forcibly returned to Uganda. He was charged alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, who also denies the allegations.
In a landmark decision, Uganda’s Supreme Court recently ruled that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional, ordering such cases to be transferred to civilian courts.
President Museveni, however, dismissed the ruling as “wrong” and vowed to challenge it, defending the use of military courts for gun-related crimes to ensure swift justice.
Besigye, a former personal doctor to Museveni, has long been a thorn in the government’s side, running unsuccessfully against the president in four elections.
He has repeatedly accused the regime of political persecution, citing past charges of treason and rape that were later dropped.
As Besigye’s hunger strike continues, his case underscores the deepening rift between Uganda’s government and its opposition, raising concerns about political freedoms and the rule of law in the East African nation.
Source: bbc.com
