Mao criticises slow legal process in Besigye’s case

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has expressed concern over what he termed as the slow response from Dr. Kizza Besigye’s legal team in addressing his ongoing legal matters.

Speaking during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, Mao questioned why Besigye’s lawyers had taken two weeks to act on a corrected decree despite the urgency of their client’s condition.

“We are concerned by the slow pace of Rtd. Col. Kizza Besigye’s lawyers,” Mao stated.

“You can't take two weeks if you are really concerned about your client’s condition rather than the politics surrounding it.”

According to the minister, the Attorney General’s chambers had corrected errors in the decree on February 14 and forwarded it to Besigye’s lawyers for action.

However, the delay in response has raised questions about the motives behind the legal team’s approach to the case.

Besigye, a longtime opposition figure and former presidential candidate, is reportedly on a hunger strike, which his supporters claim is a protest against unfair treatment by the authorities.

Mao emphasised that Besigye’s legal representatives should prioritize legal processes over political considerations.

However, his remarks have sparked debate over broader issues surrounding political opposition and justice in Uganda.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, dismissed Mao’s claims that Besigye’s continued detention is due to delays by his lawyers in extracting a decree.

Ssenyonyi accused the government of shifting blame instead of addressing what he called the illegal detention of political prisoners.

“The excuse by the honorable Chairman Mao does not hold any water at all,” Ssenyonyi stated.

“For you to say that Dr. Kizza Besigye’s lawyers have delayed to extract a decree, yet the Attorney General whom you supervise was a party to this matter, is misleading,"he added.

He further argued that the government was feigning ignorance of the legal process, emphasizing that the Attorney General’s office was actively involved in the case and had itself appealed the matter to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal ruled on it.

“You were a party to this matter. You are the ones who went to the Supreme Court,” Ssenyonyi added.

“Now, you claim you were waiting in your chambers for Besigye’s lawyers to serve the extracted decree. Are you kidding me?”

Besigye, who has been on remand for nearly three months, remains in prison despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering his release.

During his latest court appearance, he appeared visibly weak and struggled to breathe, sparking emotional reactions from supporters.

Arrested on November 16, 2024, and charged with treason before a military court, Besigye was ordered released by the Supreme Court last month.

However, authorities have yet to comply with the ruling, raising concerns over the government’s defiance of judicial decisions.

On Sunday, Besigye was reportedly taken under tight security to a medical facility at Bugolobi Village Mall for urgent treatment.

Human rights activists and civil society organizations continue to call for his immediate release, citing concerns over his deteriorating health and the broader implications for justice in Uganda.