Veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye appeared before the High Court in Kampala on Wednesday, facing charges of treason and misprision of treason alongside his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier Denis Oola.
The trio was brought under heavy security as supporters sang liberation songs outside the courtroom.
Presiding judge Justice Emmanuel Baguma directed Dr. Besigye, who attempted to raise a concern in person, to channel it through his lawyers. He later ruled that the politician should put his concerns in writing, promising to respond on October 8, 2025.
However, Besigye’s legal team contested the decision, arguing there is no law that bars an accused person from speaking directly in court.
The hearing comes as international and local human rights groups intensify calls for the release of political prisoners in Uganda. Agora Discourse, a civic advocacy group, issued a strong statement condemning what it called Uganda’s disregard for constitutional and international law.
“Opposition leaders, activists, and citizens are jailed without trial, some for over five years. Dr. Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale have spent 10 months in detention, denied bail despite urgent health needs,” the statement read.
The group urged Ugandan authorities, regional bodies, the African Union, the United Nations, and global partners to intervene and demand the release of Dr. Besigye and other detained opposition figures.
Besigye, a former presidential candidate and critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has faced multiple treason-related charges over the years.
His bail application hearing is expected to continue next week, with heightened security anticipated as the politically sensitive case unfolds.