By Sulaiman Kauki
Hearing of a bail application by jailed opposition figure Rt col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and Hajji Lutale has flopped before the Highcourt after their lawyers have made no show in court .
Asked by trial judge Emmanuel Baguma to explain the absence of his lawyers , Rt Col Dr Kizza has emphasised that he would rather rot in jail other than not having Kenyan Senior lawyer Martha Karua and Ex- Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago lead his legal team.
Besigye has explained that given the circumstances of extreme and gross human violations , threats and terror mented on his lawyers for the 20 months he has been in prison, he sympathised with them and decided to relieve them .
Besigye has informed justice Baguma that first the state arrested and jailed his lawyer Eron Kiiza at Kitalya prison, then on 21st/ June 2026 arrested Lukwago and charged him with misprison of the very treason charge he( Besigye) is facing and later on , Martha Karua was detained at Entebbe International Airport , deported and declared persona non-granta.
To Besigye , he believes that the intention of this terror on thier legal team is to make it impossible for them to have lawyers of their choice so that the state can assign their own.
Hence Dr. Besigye has added that much as him and his co-accused are anxious to get out of prison, they insist on having lawyers of his own choice and if not so , its prudent that they remain in prison until this crisis of thier representation is sorted out.
Besigye further woundered why the court was so much interested in fixing this bail application that has been lying idle for months in this period of legal representation.
He then warned that “The rule of law is totally under attack certainly” and with respect of what we are going through, it’s not possible to defend yourself when your hands and are feet are tied and your lips are sealed.
He added that ” This is a matter that only doesn’t concern us but the whole country has to deal with because it can face anybody including you my Lord “
The state represented by Thomas Jatiko and Richard Birivumbuka responded that the court has a remedy under the law to dismiss the bail application and have the main case fixed for trial .
Birivumbuka further informed the court that as the Office of the DPP, they are aware that Lukwago was arrested and charged with misprison of treason and that Martha Karua was deported, but they have no knowledge that its Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba who did all that .
Besigye thwn recountered that of course tha court can choose to go on with the matter and they will only be in court with handcuffs on thier hands and cuffs on their legs as they cannot be part of a process where fair trial is not tenable.