Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has spoken out for the first time since his arrest in Nairobi on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
Besigye spoke to the press about his arrest in Nairobi after he was presented before the Makindye General Court Martial in Kampala on Wednesday November 20, 2024.
Speaking from a cage within the military court, Besigye described the conditions of his detention, stating he had been held incommunicado since his apprehension in Nairobi.
“I have not been in contact with any person since we were arrested from Nairobi. So I could not have attended a brief with the lawyers,” Besigye explained.
The veteran opposition figure expressed frustration at being denied access to legal counsel during his detention but noted that he intended to engage his lawyers in due course.
“I have already said I will be having my own lawyers, but I haven’t briefed them yet,” Besigye told journalists, underscoring the challenges he faced in preparing for his defense.
Condemnation from Kenyan leaders
The arrest and deportation of Besigye have sparked widespread condemnation, with prominent Kenyan leaders criticizing the actions as a violation of legal norms.
Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua, a staunch advocate for human rights, issued a detailed statement condemning Besigye’s treatment and outlining the circumstances leading up to his disappearance in Nairobi.
Karua revealed that Besigye had checked into the Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in Nairobi before leaving for a meeting at 108 Riverside Apartments.
Besigye was to attend book launch
According to Karua, the taxi driver who transported Besigye waited in the basement parking area from 4:30 pm until around 4:00 am Sunday morning, receiving no response to his calls or messages.
Besigye had been scheduled to speak at Karua’s book launch on November 17, 2024, but failed to appear.
“We suspect that Dr. Besigye may have been abducted after he was dropped at the Riverside Apartments, most likely by Ugandan authorities working in cahoots with and facilitated by Kenyan authorities,” Karua declared.
Patterns of abduction
Karua also drew parallels to a similar incident in July 2024, where 36 Ugandan citizens affiliated with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) were arrested in Kenya before being deported.
These individuals, according to Karua, were subsequently detained and tortured in Uganda after being forcibly removed, despite having been cleared by immigration in both countries to attend a leadership workshop in Kisumu.
“This trend of blatant violation of national, regional, and international law with impunity, by authorities in Kenya regarding both Kenyan and non-Kenyan citizens, and now a prominent East African opposition figure, is sinister and does not augur well for our safety as East Africans when we visit Jumuiya countries,” Karua warned.
She also called for accountability from Kenya’s security agencies, particularly the National Police Service, and urged both governments to adhere to the principles of the rule of law.
Citing past incidents, including the controversial deportation of Turkish refugees from Kenya earlier this year, Karua emphasized that these actions undermine legal and humanitarian obligations.
“This matter is exacerbated by the recent and violent abduction of refugees of Turkish origin and their forced return to Turkey against common sense and international law and violates the principle of non-refoulement.
“Both the Constitutions of Kenya and Uganda and indeed the East African Community Treaty obligate adherence to the rule of law which the abduction/ kidnapping of Dr Bessigye and all such similar acts violate,” she added.
The unfolding saga has raised alarm over the safety of opposition figures within the East African region, igniting debates on the responsibility of states to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of political dissidents.
