A Ugandan court has charged opposition leader Kizza Besigye with treason, rejecting his legal team’s request for medical treatment following a hunger strike that has left him in frail condition.
The 68-year-old, a longstanding critic of President Yoweri Museveni, appeared in court on Friday in a wheelchair, looking visibly weak. His deteriorating health has raised alarm, with a government minister recently describing his condition as critical.
Besigye and his aide, Obed Lutale, were arrested in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, last November and forcibly returned to Uganda, where they were initially charged in a military court with illegal weapons possession and treachery. His lawyers condemned the move as an abduction.
Earlier this month, Besigye began a hunger strike to protest his detention but ended it after Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled on January 31 that civilians cannot be tried in military courts. Following that decision, his case was transferred to a civilian court, which has now charged him with treason and concealment of treason—accusations tied to alleged efforts to overthrow the government.
The court, however, declined to allow him to enter a plea, stating that treason cases can only be heard by a higher court.
Besigye’s detention has sparked public outrage and protests in Uganda, while the 56-member Commonwealth has called for his release. Critics see his arrest as part of a broader crackdown by Museveni, who has ruled since 1986 and is expected to seek re-election next year.
Government officials deny claims of political repression, insisting that detainees receive due process. Meanwhile, Besigye’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago, urged the court to order his transfer to a hospital for urgent medical care—a request that the presiding magistrate, Esther Nyadoi, said was beyond her authority.
