American witness: Besigye was pushing for civil unrest
A U.S. witness testified in a Ugandan treason trial that opposition leader Kizza Besigye allegedly planned to incite civil unrest and overthrow the government. The testimony relies on audio recordings from a meeting held in Nairobi in late 2024.
Why it matters
The trial of a prominent political figure like Kizza Besigye has major implications for political stability and human rights in Uganda.
Obeid Lutale (right) and UPDF Captain Denish Oola Ooya, who are facing treason charges alongside veteran politician Kizza Besigye, appear in the dock of the High Court in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Dr Kizza Besigye allegedly told an American witness that Uganda was ripe for civil unrest because of growing public discontent, divisions within the army and dissatisfaction among police officers, the High Court has heard.
Andrew Wilson, alias Orlando, a US national, who has spent more than three weeks testifying in the treason trial, told the court yesterday that Dr Besigye considered 2024 a “good opportunity to strike” against the government.
“Dr Besigye said at the time, it was a good opportunity to strike because there was already discontent within the country,” Mr Wilson testified.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in