Besigye behind bars for 52 days [on the 7th of January 2025] without proper trial as a civilian…

“Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obed Lutale have been remanded to Luzira Prison until Jan 7, 2025. This follows a delay in constituting their defence team after lead counsel Martha Karua was denied a practicing license by the Uganda Law Council” (Nexus Media, 11.12.2024).

You know the Makindye Military Court and the authorities have targeted the opposition leader and activist Dr. Kizza Besigye, as they kidnapped and apprehended him in Nairobi, Kenya. Yesterday it was official that he will go 52 days without a proper trial or produced in court. As a civilian tested and tried in a Court Martial.

Meanwhile, we aren’t hearing about witnesses, production of evidence or any proof of the alleged crimes or conspiracy to do so. No, the state is just busy blocking the representation of Besigye in the Court. Also, they are just remanding it and not actually doing it. The typical act of the courts under this Museveni era.

They are deferring cases, keeping them remanded for ages and never ever delivering anything sincere in the Courts. That is what is going on here, as the political gambit and works are reflected in it all. As the lawyers are barred from entering and such. This case just shows how the President is having a hold on every entity of the state.

Dr. Kizza Besigye is captured, apprehended and charged because of who he is, and the state manufactures criminal conspiracy easily. We have seen how many times they claim the opposition plans to blow up gas-stations and create riots in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Region. That happens so often…

So, to believe the charges on the questionable gun-charges on him. Shows how the state works and elaborately tarnish any open dissent. Besigye is the nemesis that never left the realm of the state. A man who is vocal and has the ability to be relevant because of his message. A message the state wants to silence and doesn’t want people to react too. Therefore, it is so easy to make up a criminal prosecution and go after him.

We know this is made up charges and the misuse of power of the authorities. They are doing this because of the paranoia of the State House. The President cannot get over the enemy or his way of operating. This is why the President uses the Court Martial to prove his power. Alas, it shows how weak he is too. Because he has no validity or sincerity using it.

Besigye is a victim of his popularity and his way of manoeuvring. If Besigye was more silent and in the dark. He wouldn’t be touched, but since his in the spotlight and daring the state. That’s why they pick on him and pin him with crimes. Therefore, we are seeing it happening yet again. To a man that deserves better.

When he returns to the Court Martial over the new year’s…. He will be in custody for 52 days and counting. That just shows the impunity and misuse of law enforcement against a civilian. Besigye is a victim and should have his freedom. The guns and the allegations will be squashed, because they are fiction. Fiction deserves to be in books and not in Court documents. Peace.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK): Statement on the Law Society on the Decision of the Law Council of Uganda on Hon. Martha Karua, SC. (10.12.2024)

Joint Statement on the Abduction of Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj. Obeid Kamulegeya from Kenya and their Arraignment before the General Court Martial (09.12.2024)

Opinion: The Besigye case is an indictment of the Museveni era

“The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has issued a production warrant directing the Uganda Prisons Services to produce Retired Col Dr Kizza Besigye to continue with the trial  in which he is accused of  inciting violence” (Uganda Radio Network, 05.12.2024).

The recent case of abduction, subsequent arrest and detention of Dr. Kizza Besigye is just a proof of how the oppression of the Republic works. Besigye is just a live manifestation of how they work. This isn’t new, but sadly how the National Resistance Movement (NRM) uses their authority, monopoly of violence and silence its critics.

Dr. Kizza Besigye was kidnapped and abducted from Nairobi, Kenya, as he was a visitor and a man who planned to participate in a book-launch of an opposition leader there. That was thwarted and stopped. He couldn’t take a part of that and was later revealed to be in custody and to be produced to the Makindye Military Court. A civilian tried in a Court Martial.

As the case itself is questionable at best, as it is as manufactured as can be. Since the man was supposed to carry UPDF monopolized pistols and ammunition. Meanwhile also having the time to schedule and incite violence in Uganda. Therefore, the authorities and the criminal prosecution have to prove these alleged crimes and come fourth with evidence of both. Alas, that will take forever, and we know they are “pending it all”.

This case will be stalled and be pushed back. That is custom and ordinary practice. As the criminals and the supposed felons are captured before the deed. Neither is their witnesses, or any proof provide to the courts. Neither if they are civilian nor a military one. No, these things are prolonged and the agony never ending. They can push it for months and years before any sort of arrangement is put forward and the loss of interest in the case dies. That’s when the supposed felon is allowed to enter society again on bail. Meanwhile have to come to scheduled hearings and trials, but they will not address the matter either. Therefore, we know the drill here.

Nothing new under the sun. Nothing new at all. The NRM and the authorities can act a fool. They can take everyone for idiots and think we are all naïve. Alas, that isn’t the case. We know why they are doing it and stifling Besigye from operating as a civilian yet again. That’s what they are up too and hoping to stop him in his tracks.

However, this is just creating the same issue all over again. Doing the same bidding and creating same sort of fallacy. Which will only cause more havoc and pain. The suffering and the impunity against one man. They have pinned hundreds of charges on Besigye in the past and nothing has sticked. That’s because it is manufactured and used as a tool to silence the man. This the zero-sum game the state has and it’s obvious. Peace.

Uganda Law Society (ULS): Radical New Bar – An Open Letter to the Chief Justice (28.11.2024)

Burundi: Twice ousted as Party President Agathon Rwasa haunts the FNL after last years debacle in the CNL

The Internet users who publish these quibbles are, it seems to me, people from another time. They have certainly lost their minds. Clearly, they do not know Jacques Bigirimana” (…) “The FNL party is self-sufficient and will participate in the elections, free of any coalition” (…) “The FNL is an approved party. If by some extraordinary chance it entered into a coalition, it would be with a party that is just as legally recognized and not with an individual” – Jacques Bigirimana (Ikiriho, 28.10.2024).

The Forces Nationales de Libération (FNL) or the National Liberation Forces are in the wind again. With massive speculation that a former leader of the party and ousted on Agathon Rwasa would lead the party as a part of a coalition ahead of the 2025 elections. However that seems far fetched now and the FNL leadership isn’t budging.

Now over a year ago the Congrès National pour la Liberté (CNL) suspended Rwasa back on the 4th July 2023. Meaning his not associated with the CNL or the FNL anymore. His an outcast from both parties. They have both moved on and accepted new leadership after his tenure.

The FNL was done with him back in October 2013 and CNL in July 2023. Now a year later rumours and speculations are coming to haunt one of the parties. Not the one that he was in-charge of recently, but an old fellow of his.

FNL was only registered as a party back in 2008 and prepared itself for the 2010 election. Meanwhile he was ousted before the 2015 ones, which was based with lots of insecurity. The CNL is much younger and was registered as a political party in 2019. Which was in enough time to stand for candidacy and such for the 2020 elections.

FNL had roots in rebellion and armed struggle. While CNL was more in the image of Rwasa. However, that didn’t stop the party from suspending him and taking away his power from within.

It is just telling that this man is trouble. Maybe to some extent good trouble. As his able to build a party and make relevance for his ideals. Nevertheless, his manners and ways of operating is always in accordance with those ideas. Which was the reason for the suspension and loss of titles in the CNL.

The FNL he lost an internal elections in landslide for Bigirimana who has now run the party for over a decade. That says something of the loss of Rwasa. Who has been busy building and self-destroying along the way. He has for reasonable reasons gone into exile and returned back. As opposition leaders has feared for their lives and rightfully so. The CNDD-FDD regime have been vicious and attacking their enemies. Therefore, Rwasa has within all reasonable doubt done the right thing in these instances.

Nevertheless, there is a reason why FNL and CNL is disassociating themselves with him. The rebel and politician has lost his favours. Neither doesn’t it seem like these parties wants him to return. That’s all the memos I have and it is telling…

It just feels like Agathon Rwasa has to start a fresh again and build from scratch. As he cannot live on the names of FNL or CNL. These aren’t his parties or entities he can associate himself with. That’s because they have both deemed him unfit and that’s a very telling story.

This story will not be finished when writing this, as a man like Rwasa will continue to create headlines and be the centre of his own universe. Peace.

Burundi: Resistance pour un Etat de Droit (RED-TABARA) – Press Release (25.11.2024)

Uganda Law Society (ULS): Statement Condemning the Rendition and Subsequent Prosecution of Dr. Kizza Besigye & 36 Others (22.11.2024)

Nkunyingi Muwanda MP: Statement on the Arrest and Repariation of Uganda Nationas from Kenya including Rt. Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye (20.11.2024)

Opinion: The pistols of Besigye doesn’t make sense

The authorities of the Ugandan state don’t make. He took a flight to Nairobi and checked into a hotel. Meanwhile hiring a taxi driver to have another meeting at another location. Also preparing for a book launch of an opposition leader in the Kenyan capital. Therefore, it seems far-fetched.

Because why would the airline allow Dr. Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale to carry 8 rounds of bullets and have two pistols. In addition, having plans to solicit more weaponry and logistical support from Switzerland and Greece.

First and foremost, where and how where they able to get the guns? Especially, when the UPDF itself says to have a monopoly over the type of weapon. This means someone from the UPDF “sold” or “gave” it away to Besigye at one point. That must have happened before he travelled to Nairobi. Where he was alleged to solicit more of it and logistical support.

That’s why this is all hogwash. Just like the planted weaponry and ammunition that was pictured in the Hotel Room of Arua after Bobi Wine was arrested in the ruckus after the post-election melee after the Arua By-Election. It seems like the same thing all over again. It is the same sort of narrative and story, which is to malign and vilify Besigye.

They have sought similar charges of “destabilize Uganda” before and that was natural after kidnapping him, and later arraigning him in court days after. The authorities couldn’t take him for a parking violation or failing to pay a punitive fine. No, it had to be something serious and with severe ramification. That’s why they have created this case and made up these allegations.

It is just really striking that the two gentlemen were able to carry guns, take them through the airports. Get the weapons cleared and also the ammunition. Meanwhile getting a coordinated effort to capture them. Using that sort of intelligence and covert operation to detain them from Kenya. That’s really something. This is the sort of story is fun in a Hollywood production, but not in real life.

Especially when Besigye only checked into the hotel and never arrived to the Riverside apartments where we was scheduled to have meetings. Which means the state knew about this and kidnapped him before it. Now they are alleging him and his fellow traveller are co-conspirators in the same conspiracy.

The UPDF and the Government of Uganda is now making fanfiction for the Courts. Just in a way to justify the arrest, detaining and keeping them behind bars. There is no reality this makes sense. Why would two civilians have with them pistols, which is monopolized by the UPDF to Kenya? Why? For what reason and how did they arrive there?

That’s why you know this doesn’t add up… and isn’t true. The authorities and the army is foolish for thinking people will buy into this. Especially, when the state has manufactured charges against Besigye in the past and none of them has ever sticked. That’s because they are all fictional and not fact. They are allegations without proof, evidence or even witnesses who can beneath a doubt verify it. Therefore, it is just foolish and dumb… Peace.