Kenya is investigating the alleged abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who went missing from Nairobi earlier this week. Besigye, a prominent critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, vanished on Saturday, only to appear in a Ugandan military court on Wednesday facing charges, including illegal possession of firearms.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, the head of UNAIDS, denied the charges, stating that her husband has not owned a gun in two decades. She also called for Besigye to be tried in a civilian court rather than a military one.
Kenya’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the incident, with Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei referring to Besigye’s transfer to Uganda as an “abduction.” Sing’oei confirmed that the Kenyan authorities have launched an investigation into the forced removal of Besigye from the country.
Ugandan officials, however, have insisted that they do not carry out abductions, claiming that any arrests made abroad are conducted with the cooperation of the host country. According to the Ugandan court’s charge sheet, Besigye was found in Nairobi’s Riverside area with a pistol and ammunition, allegedly attempting to undermine Uganda’s military security.
This incident has reignited criticism of Kenya’s human rights record, following previous controversial deportations. In July, 36 members of Besigye’s political party were deported to Uganda, and last month, Kenya deported four Turkish refugees to Ankara, despite protests from the United Nations.
