Besigye sues Muhoozi over alleged threats to kill him

Remanded Opposition activist Dr Kizza Besigye has sued the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, accusing him of making repeated public statements threatening to kill him on Heroes Day, a move he said prejudices his right to a fair treason trial that is expected to start tomorrow.

In an application filed before the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala on Monday, Dr Besigye argued that Gen Muhoozi, who is also President Museveni’s son, has repeatedly used X, a microblogging site, to issue threats against him since his controversial arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024.

Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate who is currently on remand at Luzira prison on treason-related charges, is also challenging statements allegedly made by Gen Muhoozi describing him as a ‘‘criminal’’.

‘‘The 1st respondent's (Gen Muhoozi) adverse and prejudicial public statements threatening death, violence, torture and execution, and characterising the 1st applicant as a criminal, individually and cumulatively, give rise to violations of, and continuing threats to, human rights and freedoms,’’ the court document indicates.

It adds: “Public pronouncements of guilt, and of a predetermined fatal outcome, made by such a figure while assessors are yet to be empanelled and witnesses heard, contaminate the atmosphere of an independent and impartial court and pressure the trial court.”

Dr Besigye further asks the court to declare that the treason and misprision of treason charges brought against him are inconsistent with principles of fair trial, human rights, the rule of law, and extradition law, rendering them null and void.

In his application, Dr Besigye cites several social media posts allegedly made by Gen Muhoozi. Among them is a January 16, 2025, X post that reportedly stated: ‘‘We will hang KB on Heroes’ Day. That's the best day for him to die’’.

A February 19, 2026, post allegedly read: ‘‘Besigye wanted to kill Mzee, so as far as we are concerned, UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Force], he is a dead man walking’’.

A third post allegedly stated: ‘‘I think we might hang Besigye by next month. If we don’t hang him, we will shoot him dead. That will be a great day for Uganda.’’

Also named as respondents are UPDF officers Col Peter Ahibisibwe and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, whom Dr Besigye accused of participating in his alleged abduction from Nairobi and subsequent transfer to Uganda.

The case was filed on Monday, a day before Uganda marked Heroes Day.

Heroes Day in Uganda is an annual public holiday observed every June 9 to honour the men