Nairobi Activists to March to President’s Office Over Besigye Abduction

Nairobi Activists to March to President’s Office Over Besigye Abduction

Human rights activists in Nairobi are set to march to the President’s Office on Monday, September 21, demanding answers over the reported abduction and transfer of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye from Kenya to Uganda in November 2024.

The planned demonstration is expected to bring renewed attention to questions surrounding Besigye’s disappearance from Nairobi and his subsequent appearance in Uganda, where he was initially presented before a military court.

The activists want the Kenyan government to explain what happened while Besigye was in the country and whether Kenyan security agencies were involved in his transfer.

They are also calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported operation and accountability for any officials found to have participated in it.

One of the activists, Sayialel Mankuyio, said the demonstration was intended to raise questions about Kenya’s sovereignty and the protection of people on its territory.

“We are not marching against Kenya; we are marching for Kenya. We are marching because Kenya’s sovereignty must mean something on Kenyan soil,” Mankuyio said.

Activists Demand Answers

The protesters are expected to converge in Nairobi before proceeding towards the President’s Office on Harambee Avenue.

They are demanding an explanation from the government over how Besigye was allegedly moved from Kenya into Uganda and whether any Kenyan officials facilitated the transfer.

The planned march comes as new testimony emerges from Besigye’s ongoing treason trial in Uganda.

A prosecution witness, Andrew Wilson, told the High Court in Kampala that two pistols and suspected counterfeit currency were already inside a Riverside apartment in Nairobi before Besigye’s co-accused arrived.

Wilson testified during cross-examination that the apartment had been prepared as part of what was described in court as an intelligence operation. The defence has questioned how the alleged weapons were handled and where the items are currently located.

The testimony has not established as a court finding that Kenyan police planted the items. It remains evidence presented during the ongoing proceedings, and defence lawyers have challenged aspects of the prosecution’s account.

Besigye’s Uganda Case

Besigye disappeared from Nairobi on November 16, 2024, before resurfacing in Uganda several days later. He was initially taken before a military court before his case proceeded in the civilian court system.

He is facing treason charges alongside his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale and Uganda People’s Defence Force officer Captain Denis Oola.

The prosecution alleges that the three were involved in activities linked to a plan to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government. The accused have denied the allegations, while the prosecution continues presenting evidence before the High Court in Kampala.

The trial has included evidence concerning alleged meetings and activities conducted in Uganda, Kenya and other countries.

Questions Over Kenya’s Role

The planned Nairobi protest comes as the circumstances surrounding Besigye’s transfer continue to attract legal and political attention in both Kenya and Uganda.

Activists have argued that the matter extends beyond Uganda’s domestic politics because Besigye was reportedly in Nairobi before his disappearance.

They want Kenyan authorities to clarify whether local security agencies knew about or participated in his transfer and whether proper legal procedures were followed.

The case has also been taken to the East African Court of Justice, where legal proceedings have raised allegations concerning Besigye’s detention and removal from Kenya.

Police security is expected to be heightened around Nairobi’s Central Business District as the activists prepare for Monday’s march.

The demonstration could bring renewed public focus to Besigye’s disappearance, the allegations emerging from his Ugandan treason trial and broader questions about cross-border security operations in East Africa.

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Nairobi Activists to March to President’s Office Over Besigye Abduction