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• Fri May 30 2025

Martha Karua drew thunderous applause and chants of ?Never surrender!? as she entered Nakawa court to represent Uganda?s opposition leader Kizza Besigye

In a packed courtroom turned rally ground, Besigye supporters clapped, sang, and stood on benches in a rare, defiant display of solidarity

Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale, and UPDF Captain Denis Oola were formally committed to Uganda?s High Court to face charges of treason and misprision of treason

Prosecutors allege the trio plotted Yoweri Museveni?s overthrow through violent means, including drone strikes, poison, and paramilitary training

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kampala - The Nakawa Chief Magistrate?s Court turned into an extraordinary scene of defiance and solidarity as veteran Kenyan politician Martha Karua arrived to represent opposition icon Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale.

Martha Karua is representing Kizza Besigye, who is accused of treason. Photo: Nile Post.

Source: UGC

The People?s Liberation Party (PLP) leader was met with chants, cheers and thunderous ululation as she entered a courtroom packed with supporters, some of whom sang:

?Never surrender!? a rallying cry synonymous with resistance in Uganda?s opposition movement.

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A video widely circulated online captured the electrifying moment Karua entered the court, shaking hands and exchanging nods with people in the gallery.

The entire room, already at capacity, erupted into song as soon as they caught sight of her.

Supporters of Besigye and Lutale stood on benches and clapped rhythmically as they chanted slogans.

Even Besigye, visibly moved, joined in the light-hearted moment from the dock.

It was a rare show of public solidarity inside a courtroom, especially considering the gravity of the charges hanging over Besigye, Lutale, and UPDF Captain Denis Oola.

Besigye formally committed

The three were formally committed to the High Court to face trial on charges of treason and misprision of treason.

According to the state, they are accused of conspiring to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni?s government through violent means, including a shocking assassination plot allegedly involving drone strikes, surface-to-air missiles, and ricin poison.

The case took a dramatic turn after State Prosecutor Richard Birivumbuka presented an amended charge sheet detailing explosive allegations.

Among them, the Monitor reports that the accused allegedly met in Nairobi on November 16, 2024, to plot the violent overthrow of the government.

The indictment links the trio to meetings in Geneva, Athens, and the Netherlands, where plans were supposedly hatched to infiltrate Ugandan military bases, destabilise the economy using counterfeit currency, and coordinate paramilitary training in Kisumu.

Kizza Besigye arrives in court during a previous mention of his treason case. Photo: Nile Post.

Source: Twitter

Security agencies claim they have video and audio recordings of the meetings, covertly captured by an informant code-named ?AW,? who reportedly posed as a Kurdish intelligence operative.

The recordings, alongside WhatsApp chats, immigration records, and forensic evidence, will form the backbone of the prosecution?s case.

How is Besigye's health status?

Earlier, Winnie Byanyima, wife of the detained Ugandan opposition leader, provided an emotional update on his condition following a visit to Luzira Prison.

She expressed relief at seeing him in good spirits, noting he was able to walk and interact with visitors.

Byanyima criticised the Ugandan judiciary for repeatedly denying Besigye bail, despite his consistent court appearances over two decades.

She urged the courts to hear his bail application and end what she described as an ongoing injustice.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke