Besigye’s Allies Reveal How He Was Deceived Into Meeting His Captors in Nairobi
The recent detention of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye during a trip to Kenya has ignited widespread criticism and raised suspicions about a possible covert intelligence collaboration between Uganda and Kenya.
Besigye’s family and political allies have disclosed alarming accounts of how he was allegedly tricked into meeting his captors, who reportedly posed as Kenyan security personnel.
Sources claim Besigye was under surveillance from the moment he boarded a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Nairobi, Kenya. After being picked up in Nairobi, he was allegedly transported back to Uganda and presented before a military court without any formal extradition proceedings.
While Kenya denies involvement and says it is investigating the incident, Uganda alleges that Kenyan authorities were complicit, referencing intelligence communications tracking Besigye’s movements. Meanwhile, the military court in Kampala has extended his detention until next week.
Who Is Kizza Besigye?
Kizza Besigye has long been a fierce opponent of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, contesting and losing four presidential elections against him. Though less politically active in recent years, Besigye launched a new party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), earlier this year after parting ways with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), which he founded 20 years ago.
He has traveled freely to Kenya on numerous occasions, often for significant events, even during his time as Museveni’s primary critic.
Events Leading to His Disappearance
Besigye flew to Nairobi on November 16 to attend a book launch by Kenyan opposition figure Martha Karua. After arriving in Nairobi and checking into a hotel in Hurlingham, he later traveled to Riverside Drive for a private meeting, accompanied by his long-time ally Hajj Obeid Lutale.
That meeting was the last time Besigye was seen until he resurfaced in Uganda four days later. According to his taxi driver, he waited for hours before leaving after being unable to contact Besigye. The disappearance prompted widespread concern, with his wife, Winnie Byanyima, reporting on social media that he had been “kidnapped.”
How Was He Captured?
Ms. Byanyima explained that Besigye was meeting a British national and a Ugandan contact at an apartment on Riverside Drive. The British individual was purportedly introducing potential financial backers for the PFF. During the meeting, eight plainclothes men claiming to be Kenyan police entered the room, arresting Besigye and Lutale.
Despite Besigye’s protests of innocence regarding items in the room, including a box of money, the men ignored him. The two were driven across the Kenya-Uganda border, where the language shifted to Luganda and Runyankole, suggesting the captors were Ugandan.
At the border, vehicles were switched, and the two captives were taken into Uganda, leaving their belongings, including passports, behind in Nairobi. According to PFF spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the operation bypassed standard border checks entirely.
Was This a Setup?
Uganda’s Information Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, claimed the arrest was based on substantial intelligence and implied Kenyan authorities facilitated the operation. However, Kenya has denied any involvement, stating it was not aware of the plan.
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Besigye’s Allies Reveal How He Was Deceived Into Meeting His Captors in Nairobi
