RUKUNGIRI, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said the delayed trial of veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye is largely due to actions by the accused and his legal team, insisting that government and the Judiciary are ready to proceed with the case.
Speaking through Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, who addressed a press briefing in Besigye’s home district of Rukungiri, the President said repeated objections and applications by Besigye’s lawyers have slowed down the trial process and made it difficult for the court to move forward.
“We are ready, but every time we try to listen to his case, his lawyers raise issues that make the work of the judge very hard,” Tayebwa told journalists.
Tayebwa said he had been sent by President Museveni to explain the circumstances surrounding Besigye’s continued detention, noting that the Head of State is not comfortable with the prolonged incarceration of his long-time political rival.
According to Tayebwa, government maintains that it respects the rule of law and is prepared for the trial to proceed without further delay, once legal obstacles raised by the defence are resolved.
Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, has remained in detention amid growing public debate and political pressure over his case, with supporters demanding his immediate release and a speedy trial.
The developments add another layer to the long-running political standoff between Museveni and Besigye, two figures whose rivalry has shaped Uganda’s political landscape for decades.
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