Ugandan Opposition Leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has ended his hunger strike, which he started on February 11, 2025, to protest his detention in a military court. His lawyer, Erias Lukwago, confirmed that Besigye made the decision after being formally presented before a civilian court, a move that rights groups had been pushing for since his arrest.

Besigye, who was abducted in Nairobi on November 16, 2024 and forcibly taken to Uganda, had been facing charges in a military court, which was widely criticized as unconstitutional. After weeks of mounting pressure, Ugandan authorities transferred his case to a civilian court, where he has now been charged with treason alongside his aide, Hajj Obeid Lutale.

However, activists in Kenya have planned a peaceful protest on February 24, demanding Besigye’s unconditional release. The demonstration will start at Aga Khan Walk, proceeding to Kenya’s National Assembly, and later to the Ugandan High Commission in Kileleshwa. Organizers, including Amnesty International, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), insist that Besigye’s prosecution is politically motivated and that Ugandan authorities must respect the rule of law.