By Spy Uganda
Former government spokesperson and Eastern Region Older Persons Member of Parliament Ofwono Opondo has urged the government to reconsider its handling of opposition leader Col. (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, warning that the veteran politician appears to have lost confidence in receiving a fair trial.
Opondo said Besigye’s dramatic collapse in court this week should not simply be viewed as an act of defiance, arguing that it reflected deep frustration with the way his case has been handled.
“What we saw was the natural flow of things that he is now willing to say, ‘if you want to strangle me in court, do it,’” Opondo said on Saturday.
“That was out of frustration. He is dejected. He cannot take it anymore because he thinks, or he sees that he won’t get justice even if he were to comply with the internal rules of the court.”
Besigye collapsed on Wednesday during his treason trial before the High Court after protesting the continuation of proceedings amid unresolved concerns over his legal representation.
The proceedings were subsequently halted, and Besigye was rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he remains under medical care.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, has said Besigye remains weak as doctors continue efforts to establish the cause of his collapse.
The veteran opposition politician has also rejected lawyers appointed by the state, insisting that he should be represented by lawyers of his choice.
The dispute follows the arrest of his lead lawyer and the deportation of another member of his legal team.
Justice Emmanuel Baguma previously ruled that state-appointed lawyers should continue representing Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, despite their objections.
The legal battle has since intensified, with state prosecutors on Thursday asking the High Court to allow the treason trial to proceed in Besigye’s absence while he remains hospitalised.
Justice Baguma is expected to rule on the application on August 4, 2026.
Opondo, who served for years as Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre and government spokesperson before entering Parliament, said the government should reconsider its approach to the case.
“I think that any of us would do what he did and I think it is necessary for the state to step back,” Opondo said.
He argued that the government has previously compromised with and even rewarded individuals accused of more serious wrongdoing than Besigye.
“This government has compromised and even rewarded people who have done worse things than Kizza Besigye,” he added.
Although Opondo acknowledged his political differences with Besigye, he said those differences should not prevent the opposition leader from receiving a fair hearing.
“I do not agree with Kizza Besigye, but you can clearly see the overarching hand of powerful people in the state who are saying, ‘Don’t give that man a fair trial,’” he said.
Opondo’s intervention comes at a critical point in the case, with the court expected to determine whether proceedings can continue without Besigye as he receives medical treatment.
The former government spokesperson’s comments are likely to add to growing public debate over Besigye’s treatment, his right to legal representation of his choice and the broader question of whether the ongoing proceedings meet the standards of a fair trial.
https://x.com/PSSEKABIR/status/2083500680166220098?s=20
