What President Museveni said on Besigye's hunger strike
Kizza Besigye has been on a one week hunger strike
15d agoHillary BettInfographics
People Liberation Party and lawyer Martha Karua has now explained why the special practice license she was given in Uganda could not allow her to represent Opposition politician Kizza Besigye.
Speaking on Hot 96 on Thursday, Karua said she is still part of the team that is representing the Ugandan politician.
She noted that the license that she had been granted specifically allowed her to represent Besigye in the Military court only.
The former Justice Minister said that she was asked to apply for another license, which she did, to allow her to represent Besigye in a civilian court in Uganda.
Karua said she expects to receive it anytime now.
“I'm still defending Besigye, but I still have to apply for a new license. The one I was given was a special license for the court martial. I haven’t given up, my license is on the way,” she said.
The Ugandan Law Council granted Martha Karua a temporary practice certificate that will allow her to represent Besigye on January 6, 2025.
Her first application had been denied.
On February 19, Karua, in a post on X, said she was in court but could not represent her client, owing to ‘restrictions’ on her special license.
Karua posted a photo of herself in court, stating that she had to remain silent during the case, but her colleagues had done a wonderful job.
“In court but without a voice due to the restrictive nature of my special license. In the meantime, my colleagues are doing a fantastic job,” she said.
She said she would reapply for another special license.
Besgiye had been presented at the High Court Division for the hearing of a Habeas Corpus application.
(Habeas Corpus is an order issued by the court to a person who has detained another person, to produce the body of the latter before it).
At the time of hearing, the Opposition politician had been on a hunger strike for over a week.
Besigye was arrested on November 16, 2024, in Nairobi, where he was to attend Martha Karua’s book launch.
Four days later, on November 20, Besigye and Hajj Lutale appeared before a military court in Kampala, under the charges of possession of an illegal firearm.
They pleaded not guilty and were remanded at Luzira Maximum Security Prison.
In January 2025, the military court ruled that Besigye could be tried for treachery
On January 31, 2025, the Supreme Court of Uganda ruled that the trial of civilians in military courts was unconstitutional.
