Dozens of supporters of Dr. Kizza Besigye, who is facing charges of illegal possession of ammunition and firearms, were chased away from the Court Martial premises on Tuesday.
The supporters, donning blue and white t-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as “Free Besigye Now,” “Freedom for All,” “Abducted in Kenya,” and images of Besigye and Abeid Lutaale Kamulegeya, gathered outside the Court Martial gate.
Despite their presence, they were outnumbered by security personnel deployed at the scene. The supporters were initially blocked from entering the premises and were later dispersed using batons and guns.
They were pushed back as far as 150 meters past the neighboring Makindye Magistrate’s Court towards the Kampala City side and were warned not to cross a designated line, marked by several police and UPDF trucks stationed early in the morning.
Some of the more defiant supporters used sticks to mark a “battle line” on the ground, daring the military and police to cross it.
Police officials argued that the t-shirts bearing words like “abducted” were misleading, claiming that if someone were truly abducted, they would be unaware of their whereabouts. Besigye and Lutaale, they emphasized, were known to be in custody.
There were also claims from police that some individuals became tribal when discussing national issues. One person was accused of speaking in the local Lusoga dialect with FDC politician Salaam Musumba, reportedly making a threatening remark about a Munyankore policeman.
The group of supporters, which included dozens of lawyers representing Besigye, such as Major Ronald Iduli, Samuel Wanda, and Eron Kiiza, spent more than two hours at the gate, arriving at around 8:00 am but not being allowed access until 10:00 am.
As the lawyers and activists waited outside, they pressed the military to open the gate, arguing for the freedom of all individuals, including those in uniform.
Major Iduli, in particular, made references to a large financial claim against the government for his wrongful dismissal from the UPDF.
Security officers also raised concerns about the images of Besigye and Lutaale on the supporters’ t-shirts, leading to further arguments. Media personnel were also blocked from entering the premises.
Emmanuel Lubega, a journalist from the Germany based DW Media, was initially allowed entry but was later pushed out.
After intervention from his colleagues, he was allowed back inside. Even senior opposition figures, such as Wafula Ogutu, were left outside in the scorching sun for wearing t-shirts with Besigye’s image.
Inside the Court premises, several prominent politicians, including FDC Chairman Ambassador Waiswa Birigwa, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi, FDC Secretary-General Harold Kaija, and others, awaited the proceedings.
They gathered under a newly constructed pavilion, surrounded by heavy security from police, counter-terrorism units, and military police.
At 8:33 am, Dr. Besigye and his co-accused, Abeid Lutaale, were brought to court via a drone, and the court was expected to begin proceedings shortly thereafter.
The case revolves around a ruling on whether the Court Martial has the jurisdiction to try civilians and address offenses reportedly committed outside Uganda.
These offenses allegedly took place in Nairobi, Geneva, and Greece.