Following the ruling from the Supreme Court that civilians should not be tried by the General Court Martial (Military Court), many were very hopeful that things were finally turning bright for former opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his colleague Obeid Lutale.
There were high expectations regarding this Court ruling with many stating that Dr. Kizza Besigye could finally be released. Amidst celebrations however, there was an official statement that Dr. Kizza would not be released and he was to face the law in the General Court Martial.
Even via his X account, the Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba was quick to mention that no matter how much noise everyone made, The politics veteran was fo face the extent of the law of the General Court martial and no one would ever help him out of this one!
Well, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Honorable Nobert Mao has also come out and said something about this argument. Mao has criticized members of parliament who are asking why Dr Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale are still being held at Luzira Maximum Prison yet the Supreme Court's ruling was clear.
As several members of parliament asked why the government is still detaining Dr Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale after the Supreme Court suspended the trial of civilians in military courts, Norbert Mao saw need to make a few things clear regarding this ruling.
According to Norbert Mao, when the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo along with several other justices declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional, they ordered the Court Martial to transfer all civilians related cases to Civilian courts, but no one ordered for the release of Dr. Kizza Besiye and Obeid Lutale.
Responding to the queries raised by Members of Parliament, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, clearly stated that the Supreme Court did not order the police to free suspects but rather take their cases to the right court with immediate effect.
"The Supreme Court did not say that the suspects should be freed, they just said that these cases should be taken to the right court. It is rather erroneous for anyone to think or assume that what the Supreme Court said is a release order for Dr. Kizza Besigye." Norbert Mao stated while in Parliament.
He further urged that no one was supposed to fight the Supreme Court over their ruling but rather Dr. Kizza Besigye's lawyers should focus on their jobs, which is getting him out of prison
"None of us is here to fight the Supreme Court, I would like to urge Dr Kizza Besigye's lawyers to do their job." He boldly stated
