Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, has defended the use of military courts to try civilians – following an outcry over the arrest and trial of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
His 68-year-old rival has been charged in a military court with possession of pistols and attempting to purchase weapons abroad, accusations he denies.
Besigye, who was abducted while visiting Kenya last month and forcibly taken to Uganda, found out on Tuesday that he would be spending Christmas in custody as his trial has been delayed until January.
Museveni said any crime involving a gun was dealt with in a military court to ensure the country’s stability as civilian courts took too long to deal with cases.
Hundreds of civilians have been tried in Uganda’s military courts, even though the Constitutional Court has ruled against the practice.
Besigye has objected to being tried by a court martial, saying that if there were any charges against him, he should be tried in a civilian court.
A fierce rival of Museveni, he has contested and lost four presidential elections against Uganda’s leader, who has been in power since 1986.
