By Aggrey Baba
Lawyers representing jailed opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye have asked the High Court to urgently hear his bail application, allegedly to enable him rejoin political activities and steer his newly gazetted party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In a recent letter addressed to the head of the Criminal Division of the High Court, Besigye’s legal team stated that despite filing a second bail application on April 28, 2025, it has not been scheduled for hearing, an omission they argue threatens both constitutional order and the opposition’s political preparedness.
“We refer to the above-captioned application, it was admitted and on April 28, 2025, at 7:22 a.m., allocated to Justice Emmanuel Baguma,” the letter reads. “We have since tried without success to have the application fixed for hearing. We, therefore, write to seek your urgent intervention to ensure the application is heard before May 22.”
The legal team cites Article 23 of the Constitution and provisions of the Judicature Act, which require that bail applications be heard and resolved within 30 days of filing, and that window closes on May 22.
Dr. Besigye and his aide Hajj Obeid Lutale have been in custody since November 2024, facing charges of treason for allegedly mobilizing support to overthrow the government through what prosecutors describe as “international conspiracies.” Their lawyers argue that the continued pre-trial detention violates their rights and is now politically motivated.
The urgency of the bail request coincides with the formal gazettement of the PFF on May 16, 2025, by the Electoral Commission, an administrative step that legalizes the party’s operations and positions it for participation in the upcoming elections.
Besigye is the founder and ideological anchor of the Katonga party, and his detention is widely seen as a strategic blow to its early momentum.
Recently, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who serves as interim party president, said Besigye’s incarceration is already derailing the opposition’s strategic planning and grassroots mobilization.
“We need his leadership and vision during this formative phase of the PFF. His absence is not just a personal matter, it is a political obstruction,” Lukwago said.
Besigye’s initial bail application was denied last month by Justice Rosette Comfort Kania, who admitted that while he met the legal threshold for release, there remained fears that he could interfere with investigations.
The new bail plea, however, argues that Besigye suffers from chronic health conditions that are being exacerbated by continued incarceration and poor detention conditions.
Critics have blasted the judiciary for what they describe as complicity in political suppression. The Uganda Law Society has also (on various occasions) accused the court of violating established procedures, warning that justice is being undermined in politically sensitive cases.
Several rights organizations and analysts also contend that the charges against Besigye and Lutale are aimed at neutralizing political opposition in the run-up to 2026.
With just days left before the constitutional 30-day limit lapses, Besigye’s lawyers are urging the court to act swiftly.
“This is not merely a legal matter,” said Harold Kaija, PFF’s Secretary General, adding that it’s about restoring fairness and allowing democratic actors the space to prepare for an election that should be free and competitive.
As pressure mounts from both legal and political quarters, all attention now turns to Justice Baguma and whether the High Court will schedule the bail hearing in time, or leave one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures rot behind bars as his new political baby (PFF) prepares to enter the electoral battle. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
