A Ugandan military court on Tuesday extended the detention of opposition leader Kizza Besigye until January next year.
Besigye’s defense team had requested a brief adjournment, but the court martial presiding officer sided with the state’s demand for a longer delay.
Besigye and his associate, Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, face charges of endangering national security and subversion. The two were reportedly abducted by Ugandan intelligence agents in Kenya’s capital in November, sparking widespread outrage.
The pair are scheduled to return to court on January 7, 2025, for the next mention of their case.
Besigye’s legal team has opposed his trial in a military tribunal, refusing to apply for bail under its jurisdiction. A medical doctor by profession, Besigye is also a retired officer of the Ugandan army.
”You can see that this is a real kangaroo court,” said Erias Lukwago, one of Besigye’s lawyers- in a briefing to journalists after the adjournment.
”These are not proceedings of a competent court of law,” Lukwago added.
Ugandan law does not permit trying civilians in army courts.
But the Ugandan state has taken advantage of the delay by the country’s top to affirm a Constitutional Court ruling on the matter to continue trying President Yoweri Museveni’s opponents in the army court.
Besigye ran for president and controversially lost to Museveni four times.
