Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been charged with treason for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for nearly four decades. The charge carries the death penalty in Uganda. Besigye, 68, appeared in a Kampala magistrates court seated in a wheelchair after Uganda’s Supreme Court blocked his trial in a military tribunal. Besigye, his aide, and a military officer are accused of conspiring to remove Museveni from power. They were not allowed to enter a plea, as capital offenses can only be heard by the High Court.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, posted video footage of the court appearance, and Besigye has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The opposition leader, who has tried unsuccessfully to unseat Museveni in four elections, was abducted with his aide in neighboring Kenya in November before being brought to Uganda for trial.
Besigye, a former personal physician to Museveni during his rise to power, also served in the government and military before falling out with Museveni in 2001. After being charged, Besigye ended a hunger strike he began last week, protesting his “illegal” detention without charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 7, 2025, as Uganda prepares for elections in January 2026.