Kiira Municipality Member of Parliament Hon. Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda has launched a scathing attack on Kenyan President William Ruto, accusing him of turning the country into a “toilet” due to his government’s alleged complicity in the illegal arrest and extradition of Ugandan opposition leader, Dr. Kiiza Besigye.
The remarks follow Besigye’s controversial detention by Ugandan security forces after he was apprehended in Nairobi.
Dr. Besigye, a veteran politician and prominent critic of the Ugandan government, was reportedly detained by Ugandan authorities while attending Martha Wangari Karua’s book launch event in Kenya over the weekend.
Karua is a Kenyan politician, who was Raila Odinga’s running mate in the recently concluded Presidential election. She is a former long-standing member of parliament for Gichugu Constituency and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She was Minister for Justice until resigning from that position in April 2009.
Ssemujju Nganda insists that this action extremely violates the international law and an affront to Kenya’s sovereignty, asserting that President Ruto’s willingness to facilitate such an operation undermines the rule of law and democracy in the region.
According to reports, Dr. Besigye was swiftly taken to a military court upon his forceful return to Uganda, where he faces charges of treason and conspiracy to overthrow the government. His initial hearing was conducted without public disclosure, and he was remanded until December 2 for further hearings. Family members and supporters have expressed deep concern over his well-being and the legality of the proceedings against him.
This incident is not isolated; in July, a group of supporters from Uganda’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) were also reportedly kidnapped from Kenya and charged with treason. They spent over 100 days in custody before being released on bail last week.
“By allowing such blatant violations of human rights, Ruto is making a mockery of Kenya’s commitment to democratic principles and human rights,” Nganda told the media out side the court martial premises in Makindye, a Kampala Suburb.
He called for international condemnation of the actions against Dr. Besigye and advocated for the protection of political refugees crossing borders for safety and asylum.
The Kenyan government has yet to publicly respond to these allegations or address the growing concerns regarding its role in cross-border political repression.
Human rights organizations are monitoring the situation closely, urging both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments to adhere to international laws protecting the rights of individuals regardless of their political stance.
