The United States has called for clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding the abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi and his forceful return to Uganda.
The State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs emphasized the need for transparent explanations about the situation that led to Besigye’s detention, stating that it is closely monitoring reports of his alleged abduction.
“We are closely following reports on the abduction and transnational rendition of civilian political figures Kizza Besigye and Obeid Lutale from Kenya to Uganda,” the Bureau said in a statement on Thursday.
“It is important that the circumstances be clarified with transparency and full legal protections,” it noted.
Besigye’s abduction in Nairobi sparked international condemnation and raised concerns about escalating transnational repression in the East African region.
The Ugandan opposition leader, a four-time presidential candidate for Uganda’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party and a prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni, was last seen at an apartment complex in Nairobi on the afternoon of Saturday, November 16.
His whereabouts remained unknown until Wednesday, November 20, when his family confirmed that he was being held at a military jail in Kampala, Uganda.
Military court
According to his wife, Winnie Byanyima, Besigye was forcibly taken and transported across the border to Uganda, where he is now reportedly detained in a military facility.
Kenyan authorities have not commented on the matter, despite mounting pressure from political leaders and human rights organizations demanding accountability.
NARC Kenya Party leader Martha Karua on Wednesday demanded answers from Kenyan security agencies about Besigye’s alleged abduction and subsequent detention in a Ugandan military jail.
Karua, speaking shortly before Besigye was arraigned in a Ugandan military court on security-related charges, condemned the incident, describing it as a violation of both domestic and international laws.
She called for transparent and lawful cross-border cooperation between Kenya and Uganda, labeling Besigye’s abduction and rendition as illegal.
“We hold both the governments of Kenya and Uganda responsible for the safety and whereabouts of Dr. Besigye and challenge them to conduct their cross-border operations in accordance with their respective laws and international human rights standards,” Karua stated.
Besigye had attended Karua’s book launch in Nairobi shortly before his alleged abduction.
