Ugandan opposition leader to face trial

Uganda’s military tribunal has ordered prison officials to produce the main opposition leader for trial on Monday, ignoring a High Court ruling preventing the army from trying him until the legality of the proceeding is determined, his wife said today.

Kizza Besigye was detained November 14 and was charged with treason and rape in a civilian court after returning from self-imposed exile to run for president in next year’s elections.

He was also later accused of terrorism and illegal possession of firearms at a military court that is controlled by trusted aides to President Yoweri Museveni.

On December 2, the High Court ordered the military to suspend its trial until the civilian court rules on whether the proceeding is legal.

But army spokesman Maj Felix Kulayigye said the army will proceed with Besigye’s trial because the High Court and the military’s General Court Martial that will try him Monday have equal powers to courts of appeal.

“The trial must continue. There are no reasons for further delay. Proceedings can only be suspended by a superior court,” Kulayigye told The Associated Press.

Besigye, whose bid to run for president was officially endorsed by the electoral commission on December 14, would be disqualified from challenging his former ally if he is convicted.

“It seems that President Museveni is using the military court to have a quick trial and a quick conviction that can eliminate Col Besigye from the contest. That seems to be the plan, having failed to have him excluded from being nominated,” Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, said.

“The cases are based on the same alleged facts. The military court is just intended to give them the verdict they want – which they cannot guarantee in the more independent civilian courts,” said Byanyima, who is also a senior leader in Besigye’s Forum for Democratic Change.

Besigye, who was Museveni’s personal physician during the guerrilla war that brought him to power in 1986, has mounted the strongest challenge to the president’s 19-year rule. He came in second during 2001 presidential polls.

An opinion poll survey published last week by the pro-government New Vision newspaper showed that Besigye has a 14-point lead over Museveni in the run-up to the polls that are set for February 23.

The random survey of 1,208 people conducted in the last week of November in seven main towns showed that Besigye had 46% and Museveni 32%. Other opposition candidates shared the remaining 23 percentage points. The margin of error was plus or minus 5%.

Besigye has denied accusations from the government that he sought weapons and cooperation from the northern rebels in an effort to topple Museveni. He has also denied past allegations that he led the People’s Redemption Army – a separate rebel group that has never attacked Uganda’s territory nor its interests.

“Given that he cannot win elections, (Museveni) is determined to eliminate the one opponent who could defeat him in this election. There are other candidates, but the truth is that… they do not pose a serious challenge,” Byanyima said.

“So he must eliminate his serious challenger, and he would use the most brutish ways because he has been getting away with violence, with breaking the law, with violating the constitution. He has been getting away with it for a long time and he believes he can get away with it again.”