Uganda key witness says Kenya Police planted two guns in Besigye's hotel room

Kenya's role in the arrest and prosecution of Ugandan politician Kizza Besigye has been highlighted in a Ugandan court, a development that might leave Kenyan officials with egg on their faces.

After spending time denying taking part in the predicament the 70-year-old politician is facing, Kenyan officers' role was brought to the fore after a key prosecution witness said police had planted guns on Besigye before his arrest at a Riverside hotel, where he was attending to his visitors.

The key witness in the treason trial of Dr Besigye gave contradictory evidence under cross-examination this week, providing fresh ammunition for the defence.

Besigye, a longtime opponent of President Yoweri Museveni, is facing treason charges after being arrested following a trip to Kenya in November 2024.

At the centre of the prosecution's case is Orlando Wilson, a British-American who says he was recruited to help organise a plot to overthrow Museveni.

Wilson, who describes himself as a former British soldier turned "private investigator," initially told the court that he had been asked to obtain weapons, including drones and missiles, and train individuals linked to Besigye in Kenya.

He said the training was due to take place near the Ugandan border in July 2024 but never happened because 36 members of Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change party were arrested by Kenyan authorities and transferred to Uganda.

The FDC said the group had travelled to attend leadership training. They were charged with terrorism-related offences, imprisoned and later released on bail by Ugandan courts.

Under cross-examination, however, Wilson challenged elements of the prosecution's own evidence.

He alleged that two pistols found in a Nairobi apartment where he met Besigye had been planted by Kenyan authorities.

He also told the court that a secretly recorded video of Besigye had been accidentally deleted by police. "The video wasn't saved... they pressed some buttons and erased it," he said.

The defence argues these revelations undermine the credibility of the case.

Martha Karua, one of Besigye's lawyers, said the testimony showed the charges were "trumped up" and that the case should be dropped.

"Any professional prosecutor acting in the ordinary course of business would have dropped the charges already," she told AFP.

Other defence lawyers went further, alleging that Wilson himself had helped construct the alleged plot in cooperation with military intelligence.

The prosecution has accused Besigye of participating in a conspiracy to overthrow Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for more than four decades.

Besigye has spent much of that time as one of the president's most prominent political rivals.

Karua, who was barred from entering Uganda and declared persona non grata on June 22, has been unable to defend her client in court.

Another of Besigye’s lawyers, former Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago, was charged in mid-June with "failure to report treason" and jailed.

Eron Kiiza, a third lawyer representing the opposition figure, has fled Uganda and told AFP that Wilson "is the author of the plot".

"The idea that Besigye is appearing before a court is a mirage," Kiiza said, adding: "This case is a political case. The verdict will also be political."

Immediately after Besigye was arrested, Kenya denied involvement. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, quoted in local press, said: "There is no reason whatsoever for Kenya to be a party in his arrest, if any." When pressed on whether Kenya was involved, he said: "Absolutely not! Preposterous to even suggest it."

Activists have demonstrated on different occasions, calling out Nairobi's role in the arrest, with many picked up by police on different charges. The latest is Mulinge Muteti, a prominent human rights defender.

Mulinge went missing on September 21 along Aga Khan Walk, where fellow activists had gathered to march to the National Police Service headquarters along Harambee Avenue to protest the arrest of Besigye.

His family says efforts to trace him since then have been unsuccessful, including searches at several police stations in Nairobi in the hope of finding him three days after the protest.

On Wednesday, the family reported the matter at Central Police Station, saying the last call Muteti made to them indicated that he had been arrested by security officers.

Alex Ndambuki, the missing activist’s elder brother, said he was informed about Muteti’s disappearance at around 1pm on Monday and that the family had since searched several police stations without success.

“We are asking the Government and the police to release our brother wherever they are holding him. We have searched for him at Kamukunji Police Station, Pangani Police Station, KICC Police Station and here at Central Police Station,” Ndambuki said.

Human rights defender Ojiro Odhiambo of the Kenya Human Rights Commission described Muteti as a frontline activist and alleged that he had been abducted.

Besigye's trial has been pushed to October 5 after prosecutors failed to show up in court on Wednesday. Besigye has not been attending the court sessions after he collapsed in court and was taken to hospital on July 29.

The state of his health has been a matter of debate, with the government saying he is faring well, but his family disputes this, saying he is yet to regain motor activity.

Additional reporting by Standard reporter.