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Brigadier Felix Kulayigye, spokesperson for the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), made startling remarks regarding the detention of opposition figure Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Addressing public outcry over Besigye's continued incarceration despite a Supreme Court ruling, Brig. Kulayigye suggested that the military had the option to eliminate Besigye during his apprehension in Kenya but chose a lawful course instead.
"We have saved this country from a lot of crises that you do not even realise,” Kayigye said during a radio show appearance, a video of which went viral online
“We could have taken his life before he arrived here. We just don’t wish to cause alarm and commotion."
The UPDF mouthpiece said the decision to bring Besigye to court, rather than resorting to extrajudicial measures, was a choice by the military to uphold legal processes.
Controversial Arrest and Detention
Dr. Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, on 16 November 2024, while attending a political event.
He resurfaced days later in a military court in Kampala, charged with offenses including illegal possession of firearms and treachery—a charge that carries the death penalty.
The circumstances of his arrest have been widely criticized, with allegations of transnational repression and violations of international law.
Uganda's Supreme Court on 31 January 2025, discontinued all trials of civilians in the court-martial, declaring them unconstitutional.
The court ordered an immediate cessation of such prosecutions and mandated the transfer of civilian cases from military to civilian courts.
Besigye however, remains detained despite the ruling.
Felix Kulayigye
Government's Defiance of Judicial Orders
President Yoweri Museveni publicly criticized the ruling, asserting that military courts are essential for handling cases involving armed civilians. He stated, "I was sorry to hear of the wrong decision by the Supreme Court in the matter of the firearms-armed civilians being tried by the Military Court Martial."
Brig. Kulayigye echoed this sentiment, defending the qualifications of the military judiciary and expressing frustration over public criticism.
He noted that the Court Martial's Judge Advocate holds a Master's degree in Law, countering claims of inadequate legal training within the military justice system
“Here you all eat and go to sleep with your spouses and you wake up and start insulting us,” Kulayigye said.
“You call us uneducated and say we have no (legal) training and yet that (Court Martial)’s Judge Advocate has a Master’s in Law.”
Dr Besigye yesterday appeared before a magistrates court for a separate case.
He looked frail and emaciated, raising further concerns among his supporters, following reports that he had been on a hunger strike in prison.