Taking to his official X account on February 18, 2025, Museveni dismissed claims that Besigye's detention was politically motivated, emphasizing that the focus should be on the gravity of the charges against him.
"I have seen the concern by some Ugandans regarding the remanding of Dr. Besigye for the very serious offences he is alleged to have been planning. If you want a stable country, the more correct question should be: 'Why was Dr. Besigye arrested?' The answer to that is a quick trial so that facts come out," Museveni wrote.
The President rejected calls for leniency, arguing that national security must come first. "Nobody in the world can easily give us lectures on reconciliation and forgiveness because that is part of our doctrine right from the 1960s," he said.
Museveni cited Uganda's past struggles under oppressive regimes, stating that the country enjoys stability today because freedom fighters fought to remove threats to national security.
He insisted that Besigye's case should be resolved through legal processes rather than public sympathy. On the issue of delays in Besigye's trial, Museveni placed the responsibility on Uganda's judiciary, particularly the transition from military to civilian courts.
"Who slowed down the trial process? It is the Courts that pointed out some gaps in the Military Courts and ordered the transfer of the cases to Civilian Courts. The concerned people are now working on two fronts: transferring files to the Civilian Courts and closing the gaps in the Military Courts," he explained.
Addressing concerns about Besigye's health, Museveni downplayed the seriousness of the situation, arguing that the opposition leader's hunger strike was a strategic move to gain public sympathy.
"There is, first of all, a Government hospital in the prison. Besides, Dr. Besigye's personal doctors have been visiting him and even taking him to private clinics," he stated.
"However, in this case, Dr. Besigye was on a hunger strike. That is part of the cause for his weakness that we could see in the pictures that were in the newspapers. Is that not unprincipled blackmail?" Museveni wondered.
The President questioned why Besigye was demanding bail instead of pushing for a speedy trial. "If you are innocent, why do you not demand a quick trial so that you can prove your innocence and expose those who are 'persecuting' you instead of demanding bail, forgiveness, as if serious crime is also entitled to holidays?" he argued.
Museveni's comments come amid mounting public debate over Besigye's case, with opposition supporters calling for his release while government officials insist that due process must be followed.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/museveni-breaks-silence-on-besigye-trial
