I NO LONGER SLEEP! Besigye Complains of Bedbugs in Luzira Prison Cell

Veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has complained of being attacked by bedbugs in Luzira Prison where he is being held. A top leader in Besigye’s People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party says the 69-year-old politician has told him he no longer sleeps.

Dr Besigye and his aide Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya have spent over six months in prison on remand since they were kidnapped from Nairobi in the Ugandan eastern neighbour of Kenya where they had gone to attend Martha Karua’s book launch.

In February, Director of Public Prosecutions Jane Frances Abodo preferred charges of treason against Besigye,  Lutale and Captain Denis Oola.

According to the charge sheet, Besigye, Lutaale Captain Oola and others still at large, between the year 2023 and November 2024, in various places or countries, including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya, Kampala in Uganda, contrived a plot, act or matter by force of arms to overturn the Government of Uganda as by law established and expressed or declared such plot, act or matter by utterances and overt acts.

State prosecution further accused the trio of travelling to various countries including Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya for purposes of attending meetings to further the plot to overturn the government of Uganda as by law established, attending meetings with various individuals both physically and virtually various places including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya, and Kampala in Uganda in furtherance of the plot to overturn the government of Uganda as by law established.

Prosecution further accused Besigye of utterances to various individuals during meetings and privately expressing desire and intent to overturn the government of Uganda as by law established, providing logistical support and organizing for several Ugandan citizens to travel to Kisumu, Kenya to receive training in various military and intelligence gathering techniques and soliciting for military, financial and other logistical support to overturn the government of Uganda as by law established.

Regarding the alternative charge of misprision of treason,  the state prosecution alleged that Besigye, Lutaale and Oola and others still at large between the year 2023 and November 2024 at various places including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya, Kampala in Uganda, knowing that another person intended to commit treason did not give information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to the Minister, an administrative officer, a Magistrate or an officer in charge of a police Station or use all reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the treason.

It should be remembered that Besigye was last month denied bail despite meeting all the requirements. Read about Justice Rosette Comfort Kania, the acting judge who denied Besigye bail Here.

BEDBUGS CLAIM

Now, the interim spokesperson of People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has told reporters in Kampala that Besigye recently told him how he is having sleepless nights in Luzira Prison because of bedbugs.

Apart from Besigye spending days without sleeping, Ssemujju continued, the veteran Museveni critic is also suffering in many other ways.

“His life in Luzira has been made difficult,” said Ssemujju.

“When you visit him, you only see him through a glass and also talk to him on a call box.”

Besigye faces treason charges, and is likely to be arraigned in a military court once President Yoweri Museveni assents to the newly passed UPDF Amendment Act 2025.

Ssemujju says PFF will profile all the NRM MPs who were present in the passing of the UPDF Amendment Bill “so that they can be remembered as the people who sent civilians back to the military court.” (See related reporting Here).

You can see the circumstances under which civilians will be tried in Museveni military courts under the new law Here.

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