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The United States has demanded transparency regarding the reported abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi and his subsequent forced return to Uganda.
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs emphasized the need for a full and transparent explanation of the events surrounding Besigye’s detention, stating it is actively monitoring the situation.
“We are closely monitoring reports on the abduction and forced transfer of political figures Kizza Besigye and Obeid Lutale from Kenya to Uganda,” the Bureau said in a statement on Thursday. “It is crucial that the circumstances surrounding this incident be clarified with full transparency and legal protections.”
Besigye’s abduction has sparked global outrage and raised concerns about rising transnational repression in East Africa. The four-time presidential candidate for Uganda’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, and vocal critic of President Yoweri Museveni, was last seen at an apartment complex in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon, November 16.
His whereabouts were unknown until Wednesday, November 20, when his family confirmed he was being held in a military prison in Kampala.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, confirmed he was forcibly taken from Nairobi and transported to Uganda, where he is now reportedly detained in a military facility. Kenyan authorities have remained silent on the issue, despite growing calls for accountability from political leaders and human rights groups.
Martha Karua, leader of NARC Kenya, demanded that Kenyan security forces provide answers about Besigye’s alleged abduction and subsequent detention in Uganda. Just before Besigye was due to appear in a Ugandan military court on charges related to national security, Karua condemned the incident as a breach of both domestic and international law.
She called for lawful and transparent cross-border cooperation between Kenya and Uganda, labeling the abduction and rendition as illegal. “We hold both the governments of Kenya and Uganda accountable for Dr. Besigye’s safety and his whereabouts, and urge them to conduct their cross-border operations in line with their national laws and international human rights standards,” Karua stated.
Besigye had been in Nairobi for Karua’s book launch shortly before his reported abduction.
