Ugandan opposition politician and activist Dr. Kizza Besigye was reportedly abducted in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi over the weekend and later returned to Uganda where he was taken in and held at Makindye military barracks, since Sunday.
Besigye's disappearance followed the July 23 arrest of 36 Ugandan activists associated with him in Kisumu, the lakeside city in Kenya close to the border As per the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces Spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Felix Kulaigye, Dr. Besigye is set to appear before the general court martial today, a move that has since drawn widespread attention from his family, fellow activists, politicians, supporters, legal team and international observers.
The circumstances surrounding Dr. Besigye's detention remain contentious. Close associates revealed that he was last seen on Saturday at an apartment complex along Riverside Drive in the Westlands area of Kenya's capital city. Dr. Besigye reportedly informed his associates that he was heading to the apartment to meet an unidentified individual and was dropped off there by a taxi driver. The driver waited outside the premises for several hours, expecting Dr. Besigye to return, but eventually left after realizing he was not coming back.
Dr. Kizza Besigye traveled to Nairobi on Saturday, reportedly to attend the launch of a book by Kenyan politician Martha Karua. However, no evidence confirms his attendance at the event held on Sunday, which was graced by notable figures such as former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and ex-Chief Justice Willy Mutunga. Besigye had been booked to stay at the Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in the Hurlingham area, roughly a 15-minute drive from the Riverside Drive apartment.
A hotel official revealed to a Ugandan National newspaper on Tuesday night that Dr. Kizza Besigye had not returned to the hotel since leaving on Saturday. While he was scheduled to check out on Tuesday morning, his personal belongings remained in his room. According to his associates, Besigye was expected to fly back to Entebbe on Tuesday but did not show up for the flight.
An analysis of his activity on X (formerly Twitter), where he is an active user, indicates his last post was at 10:19 pm on Thursday, November 14th 2024. Dr. Kizza Besigye, who contested in the 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 presidential elections, has faced numerous arrests over the years for his political activism and its no doubt that he is among the most arrested politicians in the world.
