Political observers say President Museveni's silence on the continued detention of opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye is a carefully calculated political move rather than an oversight. Dr Besigye and his political aide, Hajj Obeid Lutale, have now spent a year in detention following their abduction in Nairobi on November 16, 2024, and subsequent transfer to Kampala, where they were arraigned before the General Court Martial. The issue was widely expected to surface during the President's campaign tour of the Kigezi sub-region, where Besigye originates and enjoys strong emotional support. Retired cleric and political observer Fr Gaetano Batanyenda said the silence was entirely political. He argued that the President deliberately avoided the topic because he understands Besigye's influence and the sensitivity of the issue in Kigezi. "It cannot be any other silence; it is political completely and there is nothing else," Fr Gaetano said, describing the omission as intentional. Dr Nicholas Kamara, vice president of the western region chapter of the People's Front for Freedom, said the President's silence reflects a lack of proper justification for Besigye's continued detention. Political analyst John Paul Kasujja criticised voters and leaders in Kigezi for failing to demand Besigye's release while the President was in the region. He noted that the President appeared focused on securing electoral advantages during the tour and avoided issues that could trigger dissent. However, President Museveni made no reference to the matter throughout his engagements. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Uganda: Museveni's Silence On Besigye Too Loud for Kigezi

Tagged: Uganda East Africa Governance Legal Affairs Human Rights Tagged: Uganda East Africa Governance Legal Affairs Human Rights Tagged: Uganda East Africa Governance Legal Affairs Human Rights AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. 8 December 2025 Nile Post (Kampala) "On the issue of Besigye, I think President Museveni is on top of his game because he knew very well that Kigezi is the ancestral home of Besigye. For Museveni to mention him while campaigning in the region, he knew it would cause trouble," Kasujja said. Political observers say President Museveni's silence on the continued detention of opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye is a carefully calculated political move rather than an oversight. Dr Besigye and his political aide, Hajj Obeid Lutale, have now spent a year in detention following their abduction in Nairobi on November 16, 2024, and subsequent transfer to Kampala, where they were arraigned before the General Court Martial. The issue was widely expected to surface during the President's campaign tour of the Kigezi sub-region, where Besigye originates and enjoys strong emotional support. However, President Museveni made no reference to the matter throughout his engagements. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Retired cleric and political observer Fr Gaetano Batanyenda said the silence was entirely political. He argued that the President deliberately avoided the topic because he understands Besigye's influence and the sensitivity of the issue in Kigezi. "It cannot be any other silence; it is political completely and there is nothing else," Fr Gaetano said, describing the omission as intentional. Dr Nicholas Kamara, vice president of the western region chapter of the People's Front for Freedom, said the President's silence reflects a lack of proper justification for Besigye's continued detention. Political analyst John Paul Kasujja criticised voters and leaders in Kigezi for failing to demand Besigye's release while the President was in the region. He noted that the President appeared focused on securing electoral advantages during the tour and avoided issues that could trigger dissent. "On the issue of Besigye, I think President Museveni is on top of his game because he knew very well that Kigezi is the ancestral home of Besigye. For Museveni to mention him while campaigning in the region, he knew it would cause trouble," Kasujja said. Read the original article on Nile Post.