Ugandan opposition figure denied bail in treason case

Kizza Besigye, a prominent Ugandan opposition figure, has been denied bail by Uganda’s High Court in relation to charges of treason, as reported by Africa News and agencies on December 31st.

The charges relate to accusations that he was planning to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni by force; Besigye described the charges against him as persecution during a December 30th court session.

The 68-year-old argued, “This is really a persecution, it is not a prosecution; it is like I am being tried by the prosecutors and the persecutors I have faced for 20 years now.”

He added, “I have been charged with treason. I don’t know how many times I have been charged with treason, treason that has never been tried. I am tired of this persecution.”

It was reported in January 2025 that Besigye was charged with carrying two pistols and seeking foreign military support to destabilise national security; he was arrested and detained by Ugandan authorities in November 2024. He could face the death penalty if convicted of these crimes.

Uganda has faced condemnation from the UN as the nation prepares for the presidential election on January 15th, 2026, with Museveni’s government being accused of cracking down on opposition figures and activists.

Museveni has held office since 1986, but was not formally elected until 1996. Since 2001, Ugandan elections have been marred by allegations of rigging and military interference.

The 81-year-old is eligible to run for re-election as many times as he wants, due to a 2017 decision by lawmakers to remove the constitutional age limit on the presidency.

On December 8th, it was reported that opposition leader Bobi Wine had been beaten by security forces while campaigning in the northern city of Gulu.

Wine claimed that “the military attacked and vandalised” his campaign team’s office in Gulu; a sound system used by his group was also vandalised.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 550 people have been arrested and detained in Uganda since early 2025, including members of Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP). Journalists critical of the government have also faced restrictions on their reporting.

It was reported on December 15th that a Catholic priest, Father Deusdedit Ssekabira, was detained by the Ugandan military after he had been missing for almost two weeks.

The military alleged that Ssekabira had been involved in “violent subversive activities”; the Catholic Diocese of Masaka did not comment on these allegations, but had expressed concerns over Ssekabira’s disappearance in a statement released on December 13th.

Africa News and agencies, Maghrebi.org