Uganda Military Court Rules Kizza Besigye Can Stand Trial for Treachery

A Ugandan military court rules that opposition leader Kizza Besigye will face trial for charges of treachery, escalating political tensions in the country.

A Ugandan military court has decided that opposition leader Kizza Besigye will face charges of treachery, which could result in a death sentence if he is found guilty.

The court’s decision contributes to the legal challenges facing the 68-year-old as they prepare for the 2026 presidential elections.

Besigye, who has made four attempts at the presidency, disappeared in Nairobi late last year.

A few days following his disappearance, he showed up at a military court in Kampala.

The opposition leader faced charges for illegal firearm possession and allegedly seeking military support from abroad to undermine national security.

He was subsequently held in custody, after which a military prosecutor added treachery to the list of charges.

Besigye refutes the allegations made against him.

Human Rights Watch has criticized his trial, calling it “the latest example of Ugandan authorities abusing military courts and charges to suppress the opposition.”

Rights organizations have frequently charged the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni, with committing violations against opposition members.