Ugandan Opposition Leader Faces Treason Charge

Zim Now Writer

Prominent Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a longtime critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s nearly four-decade rule, is now facing a treachery charge, which carries the death penalty. This new charge was added by military prosecutors during a court hearing in Kampala.

Besigye, who was detained in Kenya in November and extradited to Uganda, is already facing charges of illegal firearm possession and undermining national security. Despite being a civilian, he is being tried in a military court and has remained in custody alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale.

The treachery charge alleges that Besigye withheld intelligence about a plot to destabilize Uganda. His defense team, however, argues that the charges are baseless and politically motivated. Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, has echoed these concerns.

During the hearing, his lawyers also protested the detention of Eron Kiiza, a human rights lawyer on Besigye’s defense team. Kiiza was recently sentenced to nine months in prison for contempt of court following a dispute with court officials. Amnesty International has condemned his imprisonment, calling it an attack on legal representation and human rights.

Besigye, once an ally of Museveni, has run unsuccessfully against him in four elections, disputing each result over alleged irregularities. Human rights groups have frequently accused Museveni's administration of electoral fraud, torture, and arbitrary detentions—allegations the government denies.

The case has drawn international attention, with critics viewing it as part of a broader crackdown on opposition voices in Uganda.