Uganda’s General Court Martial has descended to new depths of infamy, cementing its reputation as a kangaroo court serving Museveni’s despotic agenda. The recent ruling by Brig. Freeman Mugabe, which declared the court’s jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed outside Uganda, is nothing short of legal acrobatics designed to persecute political opponents and crush dissent. This is not a court of justice; it is a weaponized institution whose sole purpose is to silence critics and shield the corrupt regime.
The court’s handling of the case involving Dr. Kizza Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and Captain Denis Ola is a glaring example of its disgraceful complicity in state-sponsored oppression. By hastily amending the charge sheet to include treachery—a charge dripping with political malice—the court showcased its true colours: a spineless tool of Museveni’s junta. The addition of a serving UPDF officer as a co-accused reeks of a deliberate effort to drag anyone into this charade, regardless of legality or logic.
Defense lawyers raised legitimate objections, pointing out the glaring flaws in the case, including the lack of jurisdiction and the illegal abduction of the accused. Yet, Mugabe dismissed these concerns with contempt, shamelessly twisting the law to fit the regime’s narrative. The argument that a memorandum of understanding between Uganda and Kenya justifies the accused’s abduction is an insult to international law and a slap in the face of justice. It’s evident that this so-called court exists not to uphold the law but to bend it to the whims of a corrupt and paranoid regime.
Mugabe’s assertion that sections 208 and 209 of the UPDF Act supersede constitutional provisions is an outrageous display of ignorance—or worse, willful defiance of the supreme law of the land. By brushing aside Articles 79 and 129 of the Constitution, the court has declared itself above the law, a lawless entity serving a lawless regime.
This travesty of justice exposes the General Court Martial for what it truly is: a shameless enforcer of Museveni’s dictatorship, devoid of integrity, fairness, or legitimacy. It is not a court—it is a rubber stamp for tyranny, an institution steeped in corruption and drenched in the blood of political persecution. Uganda deserves better than this despicable mockery of justice.
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