Kampala, Uganda – The Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, has stirred debate after declaring that veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye remains “innocent in the court of public opinion.”
Otafiire’s remarks, delivered Thursday during the inaugural Sam Njuba Memorial Lecture organized by the Uganda Law Society (ULS), appeared to contradict the government’s long-standing position on the former presidential candidate.
“Besigye should be tried in court and condemned or absolved. We don’t know what he did. For us, in the court of public opinion, he’s innocent,” Otafiire said.
The minister emphasized that Besigye, a four-time challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, deserves a fair trial.
Arrest and Court Battles
Besigye was arrested on November 16, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, alongside his political ally Hajj Obeid Lutale while attending a book launch by former Kenyan Justice Minister Martha Karua. The pair were transported across the border to Uganda and charged before the General Court Martial with illegal possession of firearms and treachery—offences allegedly committed in Greece, Switzerland, and Nairobi.
Both men denied the charges.
On January 31, 2025, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling outlawing the trial of civilians in military courts, ordering all such cases to be transferred to civilian courts. Besigye and Lutale’s case was moved to Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court, which later committed them to the High Court on treason charges.
Their defence, led by Martha Karua and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, sought bail, citing that the duo had spent more than 180 days without committal and therefore qualified for mandatory bail. However, Justice Emmanuel Baguma dismissed the application, sparking accusations of bias from the accused, who vowed not to return to court until the judge recused himself.
Public Perception
Otafiire underscored that until the government presents conclusive evidence, Besigye enjoys innocence in the eyes of the public.
“Besigye remains innocent in the court of public opinion until the government genuinely tells the public his true crime,” Otafiire reiterated.
His comments are likely to reignite the debate over Besigye’s prolonged detention, the role of military courts, and the broader question of fairness in Uganda’s justice system.