
Kenya is investigating how Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was taken from Nairobi and transferred to Uganda, where he now faces charges including illegal firearm possession. The incident has drawn sharp criticism over Kenya’s handling of foreign dissidents.
Besigye, a vocal critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, vanished from Nairobi on Saturday and reappeared on Wednesday in a Ugandan military court. The court alleges he possessed a pistol and ammunition in Nairobi’s Riverside area while allegedly seeking support to destabilize Uganda’s military.
Uganda’s government denied carrying out abductions, claiming cross-border arrests were conducted in collaboration with host nations. Kenya’s Foreign Ministry official, Korir Sing’oei, described the incident as an “abduction” and insisted it was not sanctioned by Kenyan authorities.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, who heads UNAIDS, denied the charges, asserting that Besigye hasn’t owned a firearm in two decades and should be tried in a civilian court. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the prosecution of civilians in military courts and called for Besigye’s release.
The case has reignited scrutiny of Kenya’s human rights record. Critics highlight similar incidents, including Kenya’s deportation of Ugandan opposition supporters in July and Turkish refugees in October, which drew international condemnation.
Besigye, once Museveni’s physician during Uganda’s 1980s guerrilla war, became his political rival, contesting four elections against him. Besigye’s wife revealed he had traveled to Nairobi for a book launch before his alleged abduction.
The International Commission of Jurists likened the incident to past state-sponsored kidnappings in East Africa, calling for urgent action to uphold human rights and international law.