Kizza Besigye faces Military Court as Uganda-Kenya jurisdiction row deepens

Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye appeared Wednesday in a military court days after he was reported missing in Kenya.

He was charged on four counts including possession of illegal firearms in foreign countries/ and seeking military support to destabilize Uganda's military forces.

His lawyer says the court lacks jurisdiction and has questioned Kenya's role.

"For his liberty to be curtailed in a sovereign state like Kenya and no actions being taken by the Kenyan government against the sister country, violating the territorial integrity of Kenya, that is a very serious matter. And we won't let it lie down," Erias Lukwago said.

"Because the government of Uganda violated the territorial integrity of Kenya. And if they do not raise any issue about that, obviously it means they are complicit to what is happening and it’s the reason we are going to put them to task."

Besigye was produced in court four days after travelling to Nairobi, where his wife who is the head of UNAIDS said he was kidnapped.

His supporters and relatives were at the Kampala military court.

"If the person is in some hands somewhere they are not under a known recognized authority and they show up here, it’s very concerning its very distressing"

The former presidential candidate was charged with Hajj Lutale Kamulegeya, a close ally.

Both deny the charges.

Besigye travelled to Kenya for a book launch.

The former leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has been remanded to Luzira prison until December 2.

Korir Singoei, Kenya’s foreign affairs permanent secretary, told local media that Kenya was not involved in the alleged incident.

Besigye at first appeared without lawyers. He rejected government legal representation and said he was not a serving member of the armed forces and should be tried in a civilian court.