Kizza Besigye Confronts Ugandan High Court Over Order to Replace Legal Counsel
Veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has directly confronted a High Court judge over an order to replace two of his senior lawyers who have been rendered unavailable due to state actions, arguing that the circumstances have made a fair trial impossible in his ongoing treason case.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 30 June 2026), High Court Justice Emmanuel Baguma directed Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, to appoint new counsel in place of Erias Lukwago and Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua. The judge also stayed proceedings in a human rights enforcement application filed against Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and other security officials.
Appearing in court, Besigye personally addressed Justice Baguma, protesting that his legal team had been unable to function effectively because lawyers were being intimidated, arrested, or forced into hiding. He told the court that the respondents had not even been served with the application “because of what has been going on,” and questioned how the matter could proceed when lawyers were “on the run” due to actions linked to one of the accused persons.
Defence lawyers Moses KB Tugume and Bayern Turinawe informed the court that the human rights application had been filed by a coalition of 13 law firms involving around 50 advocates, but only about 10 lawyers were present due to fear and disruptions affecting the defence team.
Justice Baguma granted a stay to allow the defence time to reconstitute its legal team. He directed Besigye’s side to assemble its chosen lawyers by 2 July 2026, with written submissions due by 6 July and a ruling expected on 8 July.
The development comes after Lukwago was arrested on 15 June while attempting to serve court documents and charged with misprision of treason. He remains in custody, while Martha Karua was deported from Uganda around 22 June after being denied entry at Entebbe International Airport.
Besigye, Lutale, and Capt. Denis Oola are facing treason and misprision of treason charges. Besigye and Lutale have today filed a fresh application in the High Court challenging Karua’s deportation, describing it as unlawful and part of efforts to undermine their defence.
