Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye and activist Hajj Obeid Lutale have challenged Kenyan authorities through a constitutional petition filed in the High Court. The legal action accuses multiple Kenyan officials of enabling an unlawful cross-border operation that violated due process protections. Armed individuals identifying themselves as Kenyan police allegedly seized both men during their November 2024 visit to Nairobi for a book launch hosted by politician Martha Karua. The defendants transported them to the Malaba border under cover of darkness before transferring custody to Ugandan forces. Court documents reveal that proper extradition procedures were bypassed entirely.
Military officials detained the pair at Makindye Military Barracks in Kampala without legal representation or medical access. Ugandan authorities subsequently charged them with firearms possession related to evidence allegedly discovered in Kenya. The petition contends that Kenya's extradition laws require magistrate warrants and prosecutorial approval, neither of which occurred. Public statements from Ugandan officials described the operation as coordinated between both nations' security apparatus. Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi later confirmed cooperation with Uganda after initial denials from other officials contradicted the government's position.
Military officials detained the pair at Makindye Military Barracks in Kampala without legal representation or medical access. Ugandan authorities subsequently charged them with firearms possession related to evidence allegedly discovered in Kenya. The petition contends that Kenya's extradition laws require magistrate warrants and prosecutorial approval, neither of which occurred. Public statements from Ugandan officials described the operation as coordinated between both nations' security apparatus. Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi later confirmed cooperation with Uganda after initial denials from other officials contradicted the government's position.
