Detained opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has asked the High Court to allow prison authorities to take him to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba so that he can personally serve him with court summons in a human rights case he filed against the army commander.
The request was revealed by Doreen Nyanjura, a close associate of Besigye and a member of the People’s Front for Freedom, who said the former presidential candidate had made the demand after losing access to several members of his preferred legal team.
According to Nyanjura, Besigye believes that since his lawyers have faced arrests, detention and other challenges while trying to serve court documents, the best option is for him to personally deliver the summons to Gen. Muhoozi.
“Since he is now representing himself, Dr. Kizza Besigye has asked court to allow him to be taken to Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, so he can personally effect service of the court summons,” Nyanjura stated.
The development comes after Besigye filed a human rights case against Gen. Muhoozi over statements he says threatened his life, declared him guilty before trial and interfered with his right to a fair hearing.
Besigye and his co-applicant, Hajj Obeid Lutale, have also accused military authorities of unlawfully taking them from Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024 and bringing them to Uganda without following proper legal procedures.
In their court application, the two argue that several public statements attributed to Gen. Muhoozi amounted to intimidation, psychological torture and an attack on the independence of the judicial process.
They have specifically raised concerns over remarks they claim included threats against Besigye and statements that suggested his guilt before the court had made a determination.
The request for personal service comes after Besigye’s legal team reportedly struggled to deliver court documents to the respondents, including Gen. Muhoozi.
Earlier, lawyer Eron Kiiza asked the court to issue written orders that would assist the legal team in serving the respondents after Justice Emmanuel Baguma directed Gen. Muhoozi and other parties to respond to the case.
However, the situation became more complicated when one of Besigye’s lawyers, former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, was arrested while reportedly attempting to serve court documents on Gen. Muhoozi.
Lukwago was later charged with misprision of treason and remanded to Luzira Prison, a development that further intensified concerns from Besigye’s supporters over the challenges facing his legal team.
Nyanjura said Lukwago had faced serious consequences for attempting to carry out his professional duty of serving court papers on the army chief.
Besigye has since indicated that he will represent himself in court, at least temporarily, after rejecting lawyers provided through state legal aid arrangements.
He argued that the court could not compel him to accept advocates he did not choose, especially after members of his preferred legal team had either been arrested, removed from the country or expressed concerns about their safety.
His preferred legal team included prominent advocates such as Martha Karua, who was reportedly removed from Uganda, and Lukwago, who was arrested after attempting to serve court documents.
Other lawyers associated with his defence reportedly stepped back after raising concerns about possible intimidation and security threats.
Besigye told court that he would personally handle his case as he searched for a lawyer he was comfortable working with.
The latest request has added another dramatic chapter to the legal battles surrounding Besigye, who has remained one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures for decades.
The case against Gen. Muhoozi has attracted significant public attention because it involves a senior military official and allegations surrounding freedom of expression, fair trial rights and the treatment of political opponents.
As the matter continues, the court will have to determine whether Besigye should be allowed to personally serve the summons or whether another legal method should be used to notify the respondents.
For now, the former presidential candidate maintains that after losing several lawyers through arrests and restrictions, personally delivering the court documents may be the only way to ensure the case moves forward.
