By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A prominent Ugandan opposition figure, Kizza Besigye has appeared before a military court in the capital, Kampala over charges bordering on illegal possession of firearms and negotiating to buy arms abroad.
His appearance on Wednesday comes after his wife, Winnie Byanyima alleged that he was kidnapped in the neighbouring Kenya last Saturday and forcefully brought home, then subsequently detained in a military facility.
In a post on X, Byanyima wrote that her 68-year-old husband had been seized in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, during a book launch, demanding her immediate release from Ugandan authorities.
Besigye who has denied allegations against him appeared along with his co-accused, opposition politician Obedi Lutale, who also denied the charges.
He is to remain in custody till December 2.
Besigye has unsuccessfully contested four presidential elections against President Yoweri Museveni.
They are alleged to have been found with two pistols and ammunition in a hotel in the Kenyan capital, as well as negotiating for arms with foreigners in the Swiss city of Geneva, the Greek capital, Athens, and Nairobi.
A military spokesman Felix Kulayigye had told a local media agency that Besige would be arraigned at a military court on Wednesday afternoon, without expressly stating if the military was holding him.
On his arrival at the Makindye military court after being incommunicado for days, Besigye waved to the gathered journalists and senior members of his Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.
During the court hearing, Besigye objected to being tried in a court martial, saying if there were any charges against him he would like to be tried in a civilian court, an objection that was overruled.
Earlier his wife had said in her tweet: “He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?”
Besigye a former personal physician to President Museveni went on to become an opposition leader.
He has referred to the leader of the East African country, who has been in power since 1986, as a “dictator”.
He has alleged that previous presidential elections were rigged and has been severally arrested in the past.
On one occasion he was shot in the hand; on another, he suffered eye injuries after being doused in pepper spray.
The government has accused him of provoking it, and he has been charged with inciting violence.
Museveni has been accused of clamping down on dissenting voices, including civil society groups and opposition.
Last week, a 21-year-old TikToker, Emmanuel Nabugodi was convicted for calling for the public flogging of Museveni.
Bobi Wine, another opposition leader who ran for the country’s presidency in 2021 lost to Museveni. Police constant confrontation with him have always turned violent.
Museveni has held power since 1986 and amended the constitution to remove the age limit for presidential candidates.
Uganda has not had a peaceful transfer of power since independence from the British in 1962.
