By Our Reporter
Former presidential contender Dr. Kizza Besigye has petitioned the High Court from Luzira Upper Prison, challenging a directive by Justice Emmanuel Baguma that barred him from personally addressing the court during his ongoing treason trial.
In a handwritten letter submitted from prison, Besigye described the order as unjust and politically motivated, warning that silencing accused persons undermines the right to a fair trial.
“I find it strange and oppressive if I cannot raise a concern directly in open court,” Besigye wrote. “If each time, a written submission has to be made and time fixed for your response, the case may never be concluded. Meanwhile, I remain confined in prison.”
The opposition figure further pressed the judge to cite a specific legal basis for his decision: “I request you to point me to the provisions of the law that bar an accused person from raising concerns in court, touching their trial, during any audience with the judge, in the presence of their lawyers.”
The dispute stems from an October 1 hearing where Besigye attempted to raise an issue before Justice Baguma, but was stopped and told he could only address the bench through his lawyers.
Besigye, who is jointly charged with treason alongside Hajj Obeid Lutale and Captain Dennis Ola, has long accused the state of using the judiciary to muzzle political dissent.
His defence team, led by Kenya’s former Justice Minister Martha Karua, condemned the directive as unlawful.
“There is absolutely no law in Uganda or internationally that bars Dr. Besigye from raising an issue directly with the court,” Karua argued, insisting that the ruling infringes on fundamental rights of the accused.
The development has reignited public debate over Besigye’s frequent confrontations with state institutions. A four-time presidential challenger, Besigye has consistently framed the multiple legal proceedings against him as politically engineered to weaken opposition.
His latest petition underscores that claim, warning of a dangerous precedent where political figures accused of serious offences could be sidelined in trials that determine their freedom.
“Being a person accused of a serious offence, I must be able to raise matters of concern directly before the court,” Besigye reiterated in his letter. “I will only comply with such restrictions once shown a clear legal basis.”
The High Court is yet to respond formally to his petition.
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