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UGANDA: COURT FREES JAILED OPPOSITION., DR. BESIGYE ON BAIL January 2, 2006

Apunyu Bonny

(SomaliNet) Uganda’s court has on Monday 2nd ruled that jailed opposition leader and candidate Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye had been illegally detained and freed him on bail, enabling him to begin campaigning for next month's election.

His supporters took to the streets in celebration after the ruling, but police reacted quickly and fired tear gas to disperse them.

Uganda’s top opposition party challenger, Dr.Besigye faces two trials on charges of treason and rape at the civilian High Court and terrorism and weapons offences at a military court-martial.

After Uganda’s High Court Judge John Katutsi freed him, Col. Dr. Besigye headed to eastern Uganda to begin gathering support ahead of the February 23 poll.

During a four-hour hearing, Katutsi ruled the military tribunal's authority to keep Besigye in prison had expired last month.

"The applicant has been in illegal detention since December 2nd. His continued stay in prison is therefore illegal," Katutsi told the court.

The High Court had already given Besigye bail during his civilian trial, at which he denied the charges when it opened on December 19. Besigye registered his candidacy from behind prison bars.

Besigye fled Uganda in 2001, saying the government was trying to kill him after he lost a violence-marred election to Uganda’s president Museveni. Late last year in October, Besigye was arrested upon his return from four years' exile in South Africa

International donors including Britain have cut aid to Uganda because of the arrest, detention and trial of Besigye, whose popularity looks certain to provide a tough challenge to Uganda’s President Mr. Museveni in the election.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ‘s party president, Besigye says the government trumped up the charges to keep him from running against his former friend and ally. The government however denies the charge, and Uganda’s President, Museveni said he relishes the chance to beat Besigye at the polls once again.