A Ugandan military court resumed proceedings on Tuesday against veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who faces charges of possessing weapons and other alleged offenses.
The trial, which has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, also saw the detention of one of Besigye’s defense lawyers, Eron Kiiza, for alleged misconduct.
Kiiza was sentenced to nine months in prison without formal charges or a hearing, prompting outrage from the defense team. Erias Lukwago, another lawyer representing Besigye, decried the incident as a “travesty of justice” and criticized the military court’s handling of the case. 
Lukwago alleged that military personnel attempted to block Besigye’s legal team from entering the courtroom.
Besigye, a retired army colonel and former personal physician to President Yoweri Museveni, has been a long-time opponent of the government since their fallout in the late 1990s. His trial follows his abduction last year from Nairobi, Kenya, where he was attending a book launch by Kenyan opposition leader Martha Karua.
Karua, who now holds a temporary license to practice in Uganda, accompanied Besigye in court alongside his co-accused, Obeid Lutale. The trial has reignited concerns about Uganda’s political climate, with rights groups condemning the government’s repeated crackdowns on opposition figures.
The court session coincides with President Museveni’s recent announcement of an election roadmap for Uganda’s 2026 polls, with voter registration beginning this week. Besigye, who has contested Museveni in four presidential elections, remains a symbol of resistance in the country’s political landscape.
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