PFF announces new Besigye protests

The opposition People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has announced a series of non-violent actions, including wearing national colours every Wednesday and holding nationwide prayers, in protest against the continued detention of Dr Kizza Besigye and other political prisoners.

Addressing journalists on Monday, PFF leaders, including central region vice chairman Dr Michael Lulume Bayigga, western region vice chairman Dr Nicholas Kamara and activist Ingrid Turinawe, demanded Besigye’s immediate release on medical bail.

They said Besigye’s reported health condition could affect his ability to participate effectively in the treason proceedings against him.

Under the new protest campaign, PFF is calling on Ugandans to wear black, yellow or red every Wednesday in solidarity with Besigye and other political prisoners.

Turinawe urged supporters to participate peacefully by wearing at least one of the national colours to their workplaces. She said supporters could also wear specially designed campaign clothing.

The party has also announced a prayer campaign for Besigye and other political prisoners, calling on people from different faith communities to participate on different days.

Kamara said Muslims would be encouraged to pray on Fridays, Seventh-day Adventists on Saturdays and other Christian denominations on Sundays.

The organisers said the prayers would seek the protection and release of Besigye and other political prisoners. Bayigga said the campaign would continue until the party’s demands are addressed.

“A campaign is a continuous undertaking. A campaign is like a prayer. We always pray to God until God answers our prayer,” he said.

PFF questions Besigye’s fitness to stand trial

Kamara, a medical doctor, questioned whether Besigye is currently fit to stand trial following his collapse during court proceedings.

He said the circumstances surrounding the incident and Besigye’s subsequent treatment required further medical explanation, particularly reports that he remained unconscious for a prolonged period.

Kamara also questioned the decisions taken after Besigye collapsed, including his movement between the High court in Kampala, the military hospital in Mbuya, Luzira prison and Mulago national referral hospital.

He called for an explanation of who authorised the various medical decisions and what treatment Besigye received. PFF wants Besigye released so that his family can arrange further medical assessment and treatment, including treatment abroad if necessary.

Bayigga also raised concerns about Besigye’s reported cognitive condition, saying information available to the party indicated that he had not fully recovered.

“His cognitive functions are not back,” Bayigga said, citing difficulties with thinking, memory and speech.

“He’s unable to speak. So can that one stand trial?” he said.

Bayigga also claimed Besigye was unable to perform some basic physical tasks independently, although he said his condition was slowly improving.

The claims about Besigye’s current medical condition were attributed by Bayigga to information from Besigye’s wife and were not supported by an independent medical report during the press conference.

Party wants judge to recuse himself

PFF is also demanding that Justice Emmanuel Baguma recuse himself from the case against Besigye and his co-accused, Obed Lutale. Kamara said the party was concerned about the judge’s conduct and what it described as the handling of Besigye’s previous medical emergency.

He also accused the judge of interfering with the accused persons’ right to choose their lawyers, alleging that court-appointed lawyers were introduced without the accused persons’ consent.

“A courtroom is not a parade ground and intimidation has no place on the bench,” Kamara said.

The party wants the case reassigned to another judge and has called on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to investigate its allegations against Baguma. It has also appealed to Chief Justice Flavian Zeija to intervene.

Bayigga said the party had collected thousands of signatures as part of an earlier petition and was waiting for an opportunity to present them to the chief justice. PFF also criticised previous decisions denying Besigye bail.

Kamara said continued detention without conviction amounted to punishment before trial.

“Dr Besigye has been denied bail four times,” he said, arguing that repeated denial of bail “erodes the presumption of innocence and amounts to pretrial punishment.”

The party said its latest protest actions would remain peaceful and continue until its demands concerning Besigye and other political prisoners are addressed.

The post PFF announces new Besigye protests appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.