Museveni says Besigye is delaying treason trial by refusing to participate

President Museveni has accused opposition politician Kizza Besigye of deliberately delaying his treason case by refusing to participate in court proceedings, saying the legal process should be allowed to run its course.

Speaking during a national address on Saturday, Museveni questioned why the opposition leader had declined to proceed with the trial, arguing that the courtroom was the proper place to challenge the government’s allegations.

“Besigye has created drama in courts of law. Why should the legal system for so long allow an accused person to just refuse to be tried? Is that a good system?” Museveni asked.

The president said that if Besigye believed the charges against him were politically motivated, a trial would offer him the opportunity to clear his name and challenge the government’s case.

“Why would this great democrat and human rights fighter, Dr Kizza Besigye, spend so many calories on refusing to go to trial where he would have the opportunity to prove his innocence and expose the undemocratic behaviour of Museveni and his family?” he said.

Museveni also claimed that it had been “almost two years” since Besigye’s arrest and alleged that the opposition leader had spent much of that period resisting trial and frustrating the legal process.

Besigye’s case has, however, been marked by several legal developments since his arrest.

He and his aide, Obeid Lutale, were arrested in Nairobi in November 2024 before being charged before the General Court Martial with treason and misprision of treason.

The military proceedings were later halted after the Supreme Court of Uganda ruled that civilians cannot be tried in military courts. The decision prompted prosecutors to withdraw the military case and file fresh charges before a civilian court.

The proceedings faced further delays earlier this year after Besigye began a hunger strike in protest at his continued detention beyond constitutional limits. Concerns over his health led to urgent court hearings and intensified public debate about the length of his pre-trial detention.

Following the transfer of the case to the civilian justice system, disagreements over legal representation became another obstacle.

During a court appearance on Wednesday, Besigye insisted that former Kenyan Justice Minister Martha Karua should lead his defence alongside Erias Lukwago.

Karua was, however, deported to Kenya by Ugandan authorities after being declared persona non grata, despite saying she had travelled to Uganda to represent Besigye.

Lukwago was also arrested and remains in custody on allegations of misprision, leaving Besigye without the two lawyers he had chosen to head his defence.

Addressing the court on Wednesday, Besigye said he had instructed the remaining members of his legal team to withdraw because he did not want them to risk arrest over their involvement in the case.

He also said he would not appoint another lead lawyer to replace Karua and Lukwago, creating a fresh legal deadlock as prosecutors seek to move forward with the civilian trial.