Besigye Will Not Be Released Even After Supreme Court Ruling — Muhoozi Military Assistant

At 2:54 AM on February 01, 2025, the camp of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Ugandan first son and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the national army, the UPDF, reacted to the Supreme Court ruling banning the trial of civilians in military courts. 

The statement, coming hours after the landmark ruling upholding a Constitutional Court judgement that the Attorney General had appealed, kept many confused on who was the the UPDF spokesperson.

While it is well known that Felix Kulaigye, recently elevated by CDF Kainerugaba to the rank of acting Major General, is the Defence Ministry and UPDF spokesperson.

“The Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has promoted Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye the Director Defence Public Information to the Rank of Acting Major General due to his excellent long service and representation of UPDF in the public domain,” read a statement on the Defence Ministry’s website on January 28, 2025.

“The Ministry of Defence and veteran affairs, and indeed the UPDF family congratulates the General Officer for the well deserved.”

Yet, at 2:54 AM Gen Muhoozi’s military assistant Col Chris Magezi, issued a statement he said was the official UPDF statement.

In the statement, Col Magezi said Besigye would not be released but would keep on trial in the General Court Martial.

“The general court martial will continue to try anyone who conspires to murder the president, commits armed rebellion against Uganda, and engages in terrorism against the people of Uganda,” wrote Magezi.

“Under no circumstances will Col. Kizza Besigye be released until he faces the full extent of martial law.”

Dr Sarah Bireete, a Lawyer, Human Rights Defender, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG), has described Magezi’s statement as “rubbish.”

Dr Bireete said all soldiers who are not obedient to civilian authority should be ejected from the UPDF “because their actions are contrary to the Constitution that establishes the UPDF.”

It should be remembered that Muhoozi had set a date on when Besigye would be hanged. (See Details Here, There and Over There).

You can read the full Supreme Court judgement, word by word, on trial of civilians in military courts , and its summary Here and There.