Uganda dissidents on trial as president’s son increases his grip on freedoms

Uganda's army chief, General Kainerugaba, has ordered the arrest of leading activists and politicians in recent weeks, and this weekend shut down the country's main independent media group. Two of those arrested appear in court this Tuesday: opposition figure Kizza Besigye and his lawyer.

Issued on: 30/06/2026 - 13:18Modified: 30/06/2026 - 13:24

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Uganda's opposition leader Kizza Besigye, held in detention since his abduction from Kenya in 2024, is to appear in a Kampala court regarding the long-standing treason charges against him.

Besigye's lawyer, Erias Lukwago, who was arrested this month on Kainerugaba's orders, will be heard in a separate case.

Both arrived in court in the morning. The High Court has scheduled the hearing of the bail application for 3 July at 2pm.

The trials of these two Ugandan government critics resume as the crackdown on critics by army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba tightens in an increasing show of power.

His father, President Yoweri Museveni, who won a seventh term in office less than six months ago, has made no comment on his son's recent actions.

Analysts say Kainerugaba, 52, has already become the dominant force in the country in recent weeks amid a mounting crackdown on critics.

General clampdown

Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, warned last week that the arbitrary detention and torture of Kizza Besigye's lead defence counsel Erias Lukwago points to "a continuation of a long and disturbing pattern of arbitrary arrests, torture and ill treatment of Kizza Besigye's legal team."

Early on Sunday, the army chief also ordered the shutdown of the leading independent media group that runs the Daily Monitor newspaper and NTV station, declaring: "I do not believe in a free press!"

Uganda's army chief orders shutdown of country's biggest media group

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Kainerugaba regularly posts controversial comments on social media that range from threats to abduct and torture opponents to jokes about stealing Beyoncé from her husband, while repeatedly saying he will be the next president after the 81-year-old Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for 40 years, leaves office.

People had at first taken Kainerugaba's threats "as a joke," according to Gerald Walulya, senior lecturer in the journalism department at Makerere University, but now, "we are seeing him being able to demonstrate power without any form of restraint from the father," he said.

Much of the Ugandan opposition has been neutered since the last electoral campaign that led to Museveni's re-election in January.

Besigye, 70, has run several times against Museveni, but was abducted in Nairobi by armed men, which raised international condemnation.

His family have accused the Ugandan state of torturing him and said he faces health issues.

Museveni's main opponent in recent years, the singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, ran for the presidency in January but had to flee the country after Kainerugaba threatened to hunt him down and behead him.

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Besigye’s lawyer, Lukwago was preparing to serve legal papers summoning Kainerugaba over the abduction when he was himself arrested earlier this month. He is now accused of failing to reveal an alleged plot against the state.

Kainerugaba wrote on X shortly after the lawyer’s detention: “I’m proud of ALL the hurt and pain I will inflict on the CRIMINAL LUKWAGO!“

He has also targeted several Ugandan rights groups, including Agora, which has been summoned to appear before police last week over allegations of fraud and money laundering.

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‘Cultivating fear’

Many observers say Museveni is grooming his son to take over from him, which he never officially acknowledged.

According to Yusuf Serunkuma, political columnist for The Observer newspaper, Kainerugaba, often just called by his first name Muhoozi, is still insisting that he is only following his father’s orders.

“I’m not sure whether exhibiting power and cultivating fear is part of the strategy for Muhoozi or if he is simply doing what comes naturally to him. as a soldier,” Serunkuma said.

With 1.3 million followers on the social network X, Kainerugaba's real popularity around the country remains untested.

“If he were strategic, he would have taken lessons from his father and cultivated connections with the general public and the international community,” said Serunkuma. “Instead he’s gone out of his way to break those connections.”

(with AFP)