Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Photo/Newsflash
By Wesley Koech
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed critics and lobby groups calling for the release of detained opposition politician Kizza Besigye.
On Tuesday, 18 February 2018, Museveni, in a statement, dismissed criticisms by several groups over Dr Besigye’s continued incarceration.
According to Museveni, the country’s stability comes first and that’s the main reason he (Besigye) was apprehended.
He said they should focus on the reasons behind his detention.
“If you want a stable country, the more correct question should be: Why was Dr Besigye arrested? The answer to that is a quick trial so that facts come out. Otherwise, you are promoting insecurity, which is very dangerous for the country,” he said.
He emphasised that instead of Besigye and his allies pushing for his freedom, they should demand for a quick trial so that the truth comes out.
Museveni further praised the courts for taking time to delve into the allegations and come up with a dignified ruling calling.
“If you are innocent, why do you not demand a quick trial so that you can prove your innocence and expose those who are ‘persecuting’ you instead of demanding bail, forgiveness, as if serious crime is also entitled to holidays?” he posed.
Dismissing allegations that Besigye had been denied access to healthcare, Museveni said that the matter had not been brought into his attention.
This comes hours after several lobby groups, led by Amnesty International, hinted at a possible match to demand for Besigye’s release.
“We invite all of you to join us in a march to the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi and the National Assembly on 21 February to present a petition for justice for Dr Kizza Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale, Eron Kiiza and others unlawfully detained,” Amnesty International said in a statement.
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) called for interventions after they visited Besigye in his Cell at Luzuri Prison on Monday, 17 February, 2025.
“We urge the relevant government authorities to swiftly handle the remaining judicial processes in line with the Supreme Court’s decision,” they said.
