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Uganda's Kizza Besigye Charged Over Illegal Firearms After Alleged Kenya Abduction

Nov 20, 2024, 10:15 AM

Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was reportedly abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, over the weekend and transferred to Uganda, where he is being held in a military jail in Kampala. According to his wife, Winnie Byanyima, a top UN official, Besigye went missing after attending a book launch by Kenya's former Minister for Justice, Martha Karua. He appeared before the Makindye General Court Martial in Kampala, charged with illegal possession of firearms allegedly found in Kenya, Greece, and Switzerland, and plotting to attack military targets in Uganda. The court remanded him to Luzira Prison until December 2, 2024. His associate, Haji Obeid Rutale, was also charged. The Pan-African Opposition Leaders Solidarity Network and the Law Society of Kenya have condemned the abduction, demanding his release and calling for accountability from Kenyan and Ugandan authorities. The incident has raised concerns over Kenya's safety for political refugees, following previous cases such as the abduction of Turkish nationals.