Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his aide, Hajj Obeid Litale, have launched a lawsuit against the Kenyan government, alleging illegal abduction and repatriation to Uganda. The duo claims Kenyan security agencies violated international law and existing extradition agreements by handing them over to Ugandan agents without due process, a legal challenge which demonstrates a growing and concerning trend of transnational repression in the East African region.
Besigye and Litale were reportedly seized in Nairobi on November 16, 2024, after arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to attend a book launch. Their lawyer, James Njeri, states they were “unlawfully, forcefully and violently abducted” within Kenyan territory and driven back to Uganda under the cover of darkness. Despite Kenyan officials initially denying involvement, statements from Ugandan authorities, including Colonel Rafael Mugisha and Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, suggest a coordinated effort between Kenyan and Ugandan forces.
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye
The centre of Besigye’s legal argument rests on the claim that the charges he faces in Uganda—possession of a firearmare not among the extraditable offenses listed in the 1996 extradition treaty between Kenya and Uganda.
Furthermore, he argues that as civilians, he and Litale should not be tried before a military court in Uganda, a practice deemed unconstitutional by the Ugandan Supreme Court. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have condemned the abduction, emphasizing the lack of an extradition process and the alarming pattern of foreign dissidents being seized on Kenyan soil.
Besigye and Litale are seeking $100,000 each in compensation and a permanent injunction to prevent Kenya from aiding such forced removals in the future.
This case, filed before the East African Court, highlights the urgent need for adherence to constitutional principles and international human rights law in cross-border operations.
