Uganda leader backs military trials as rival in jail for Christmas
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President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, commended military courts for their role in maintaining peace in the East African nation.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, 80, has defended the use of military courts to try civilians, including opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is facing military trial on charges of possessing firearms and attempting to purchase weapons abroad—accusations he denies. Besigye, 68, was abducted while visiting Kenya last month and forcibly taken to Uganda. His trial, which was scheduled for this week, has been postponed until January, meaning he will spend Christmas in custody.
Museveni argued that any crime involving firearms should be dealt with in military courts to maintain national stability, as civilian courts take too long to address such cases. Over the years, hundreds of civilians have been tried in Uganda’s military courts, despite the Constitutional Court ruling against the practice. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Museveni addressed criticism from lawyers and activists about the use of military trials for civilians. He explained that in 2005, his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party passed legislation allowing military courts to handle certain cases, particularly those involving criminals and terrorists using firearms.
According to Museveni, the country’s civilian courts were overwhelmed with cases, ranging from murders and rapes to land disputes and divorces. This backlog, he argued, delayed the justice system’s ability to swiftly address crimes involving guns, which posed a threat to national security. “For stabilization, you need speed,” he said, emphasizing the importance of quick justice in such cases.
Besigye, a long-time political rival of Museveni, has vehemently objected to being tried by a court martial, arguing that if there were any charges against him, they should be heard in a civilian court. Besigye has contested and lost four presidential elections against Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. Although Besigye has been less active politically in recent years and did not contest the 2021 election, he announced earlier this year that he would re-enter the political arena to help reunite his faction-ridden party.
The former presidential candidate, once Museveni’s personal doctor, has been arrested numerous times in Uganda over the years but has never been convicted. His latest arrest and military trial have drawn widespread condemnation from human rights activists and organizations. The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, criticized Uganda’s practice of trying civilians in military courts, arguing that they do not receive the same due process protections as those in civilian courts.
The arrest of Besigye has reportedly been in the works for months, and rights groups have condemned the use of military detention for political opposition leaders and their supporters. Human Rights Watch called on the Ugandan government to stop using military courts as a tool to silence political dissent.
Despite these concerns, President Museveni remains steadfast in his position. In his statement, he reiterated that Uganda was justified in using military trials to maintain peace and stability. He praised the country’s military courts, saying, “You have made your own contribution to our peace.”
The ongoing case of Kizza Besigye has intensified tensions between the government and opposition, with human rights groups and activists warning that such trials undermine fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. Critics argue that the practice of trying civilians in military courts undermines democratic processes and the principle of fair trials.
As Besigye’s trial is delayed until January, the controversy surrounding military trials for civilians continues to fuel debates over the balance between security and human rights in Uganda. With President Museveni firmly defending his stance, the future of Uganda’s judicial system and its treatment of political opposition remains uncertain.
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