The Kampala Lord mayor, Erias Lukwago, has asked the government of Kenya to explain why Ugandan politicians are being arrested in Kenya and forcefully brought back to Uganda.

Lukwago was addressing the media at Makindye General Court Martial in Kampala on Tuesday, November 20, 2024, shortly after representing Dr. Kizza Besigye in the military court after Besigye and Hajji Obed Lutale were charged with possession of armed weapons in Riverside apartment in Nairobi, Kenya.

“We want to put the Kenyan government on the spot; how do people come to visit Kenya and are returned back to the country forcefully without being deported or extradited?” Lukwago asked.

He asked the Kenyan government to explain to Ugandans if they are no longer safe there.

“We want to ask Kenya: Is it no longer safe for Ugandan politicians to visit Kenya because this is the second time it’s happening and the same way and same methods used, the Kenyan government has to explain? This is what we are talking about; you just can’t arrest Ugandans and bring them back home without due process,” Lukwago added.

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Salaam Musumba, a member of the Peoples Front for Freedom (PFF), said that the regime is getting out of hand and soon even other Ugandans will fear crossing to Kenya for business or leisure.

“This is a very wrong approach of using Ugandan security agencies to pick up Ugandans in foreign countries to illegally arrest and bring them back home to be charged with tramped-up charges,” Musumba said.

On July 23, 2024, 36 PFF activists were arrested in Kisumu as they had gone for a retreat; the 36 were later presented before the general court martial and charged with treason, though they were all later released on bail.