Opposition figure Harold Kaija has sharply criticised the handling of a key legal application in the case involving veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, following a shift from open court proceedings to written submissions.
Kaija’s remarks come days after High Court judge Emmanuel Baguma stepped away from handling an application concerning the accused’s right to legal representation. The matter has since been reassigned to acting judge Simon Peter Kinobe.
In a statement, Kaija questioned the manner in which proceedings were conducted before Justice Baguma, accusing the court of limiting Besigye’s ability to raise critical legal concerns.
He cited a courtroom exchange in which Besigye attempted to address what is known as Miscellaneous Application 248 — a filing challenging the absence of his lawyers during proceedings.
“Besigye was asking a straightforward question: why are we in court without our lawyers?” Kaija said. “Instead of engaging, the court appeared to shut down the discussion.”
According to Kaija, the judge initially indicated he had not seen the application, before directing that communication be handled through the court registrar.
He further alleged that state-appointed lawyers were imposed on the accused as the court moved quickly to adjourn.
Kaija also criticised what he described as repeated interruptions when Besigye attempted to raise additional legal issues, including a pending human rights application and an intended appeal.
“The moment the discussion became uncomfortable, it was cut short,” he said, adding that the use of procedural control “undermined open hearing.”
The controversy has now shifted to the decision to have Justice Kinobe handle the application through written submissions under the judiciary’s electronic case management system.
Kaija argued that moving the matter away from open court reduces transparency, particularly in a case he described as politically sensitive.
“Instead of hearing parties in open court, the process is now reduced to paperwork. There will be no direct engagement, no testing of arguments in real time,” he said.