Uganda opposite leader Dr.Kizza Bosigye was abducted in Nairobi

 

Uganda Opposition Leader Dr. Kizza Besigye Abducted in Nairobi and Detained in Uganda

Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, a prominent politician, was allegedly kidnapped from an apartment along Riverside Drive in Nairobi and later detained in a Ugandan military jail. Besigye remained in custody until Wednesday, when he was charged with security-related offenses and illegal possession of firearms. The incident has sparked sharp criticism from human rights organizations and the Law Society of Kenya, as reported by Citizen TV’s Joe Ageyo.

On Wednesday afternoon, Besigye and his associate, Lutaaya, were presented before a military court in Kampala, where they faced charges of intending to compromise the security of the Ugandan Defense Forces and possession of military-grade firearms and ammunition. During the court proceedings, Besigye called for fair treatment, stating:

"It would be unfair to make a ruling without giving us the benefit of legal representation."

Besigye’s court appearance provided some relief to his family, who had reported him missing since Saturday. The ordeal began with a tweet from his wife, Winnie Byanyima, on Tuesday morning, demanding his release. Byanyima claimed that her husband had been abducted in Nairobi and was being held in a Ugandan military facility.

Besigye had traveled to Kenya to attend the book launch of NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua on Sunday. Karua issued a public statement urging Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Kenyan President William Ruto to clarify Besigye’s situation and ensure his safety.

According to the statement, Besigye had arrived in Kenya on Saturday and checked into a hotel in Kilimani. Later that afternoon, he and Lutaaya left the hotel around 4:00 p.m. and traveled by taxi to an apartment on Riverside Drive for a meeting. Witnesses reported that the two entered the apartment at approximately 4:30 p.m., but never returned to the waiting taxi.

Sources revealed that an hour before Besigye and Lutaaya arrived, a group of unidentified men driving a Toyota Prado had checked into the same apartment complex. Witnesses claim these men, believed to be foreigners, abducted the two individuals and transported them to Kampala, Uganda.

Martha Karua condemned the incident, calling it a dangerous precedent for Kenya. She noted that the increasing cases of abductions, often involving foreign operatives, undermine Kenya’s commitment to human rights. Speaking to Citizen TV, Karua said:

"People are being abducted by individuals who are not in uniform and by foreign mercenaries. When such people come to cause havoc in Kenya, they cannot be called officers—they are mercenaries."

The Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) also expressed concern over the growing trend of abductions. KNCHR promised to collaborate with its Ugandan counterpart to ensure adherence to human rights obligations across the region.

The incident adds to a string of similar cases. Just four months ago, 36 Ugandan nationals affiliated with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) were abducted in Kisumu, Kenya, and taken to Uganda, where they were allegedly tortured and detained. The group had entered Kenya for a leadership workshop and had been cleared by immigration officials in both countries.

Dr. Kizza Besigye was scheduled to be a speaker at Karua’s book launch, titled Against the Tide, but failed to attend. His disappearance and subsequent detention have fueled outrage, highlighting concerns about regional security and human rights violations.