Gen Muhoozi Ordered to File Defense Over Threats to Hang Besigye

The High Court in  Kampala has given the Chief of Defense Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, seven days to file his defense to an application filed by jailed opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye.

Besigye sued General Muhoozi Kainerugaba for issuing several threats, including threatening to hang him on Heroes’ Day.

The order was issued on Thursday by the Criminal Division Judge Emmanuel Baguma. He directed the five respondents to file their reply by June 18th, 2026, and ordered that in case of any rejoinder, it should be made by June 25th, while hearing of the matter was fixed for June 30th, 2026.

The other officers in the suite are Col Peter Ahimbisibwe, Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, who are UPDF officers and alleged to have gone to Kenya and commanded the operation that led to the abduction of Besigye and his co-accused aide Hajji Obeid Lutale, with whom they are in trial for treason-related charges together with Captain Denis Oola. The other respondent is the Attorney General.

Central to the application are allegations that Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba repeatedly made public statements that prejudiced Besigye’s right to a fair hearing and threatened his life.

The court documents cite several statements attributed to Muhoozi on a social media platform X. Among them is a January 16, 2025, post allegedly stating: “We will hang KB on Heroes’ Day. That’s the best day for him to die.”

The applicants also cite a February 19, 2026, statement in which Muhoozi allegedly wrote: “Besigye wanted to kill Mzee, so as far as we are concerned, UPDF, he is a dead man walking.”

The application further references another statement allegedly made around April 2026 in which Muhoozi said: “I think we might hang Besigye by next month. If we don’t hang him, we will shoot him dead. That will be a great day for Uganda.”

Other statements cited include declarations that Besigye would leave prison “only in his coffin after we hang him or shoot him, or on his knees apologising” to President Yoweri Museveni, and that he would not be released until he faced “the full extent of martial law.”

The applicants argue that the statements amount to public prejudgment of guilt, threats of extrajudicial punishment, psychological torture, and interference with judicial independence.

“The 1st Respondent’s statements, individually and cumulatively, constitute direct threats to life, psychological and mental torture, the public prejudgment of guilt, and interference with the independence and impartiality of the Court,” the application states.

The lawyers contend that such pronouncements by the country’s top military officer create an atmosphere that undermines the constitutional presumption of innocence and places pressure on the trial court before evidence has been heard. The application further raises concerns about delays in the trial process.

Meanwhile, the treason trial was expected to begin on Thursday. However, Assistant Superintendent of Prison Emmanuel Hiire has informed the Judge that Dr Kizza Besigye and Lutale were not in Court because they cited pending issues between their lawyers and the Court itself. 

When Judge Baguma asked why Dr. Besigye and Lutale had missed court,  Hiire said he should write to the Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabashaija.