Imprisoned veteran politician Col Dr. Kizza Besigye has written to High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma expressing his disappointment and how oppressive the judge’s decision to block the politician from addressing court recently is before court the courts of law.
In a letter dated 2nd October 2025, Dr Besigye writing from his prison cell in Luzira Upper Prison among other things noted how unjust Judge Baguma’s order was, further noting that silencing accused persons undermines fair trial rights.
“First you out rightly declined my request on the ground that I am represented by lawyers. Following a spirited engagement between you and our lawyers, you granted my request on condition that I write my concern and file it in court by 3rd Oct and that you offer your response on 8th Oct 2025” Besigye wrote.
On Wednesday, High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma blocked veteran politician Col Dr. Kizza Besigye from raising his concerns before the court leading to a standoff between the judge and Besigye.
“Following your orders, my lawyers who wanted upon my instruction, to seek from you the law under which I could not directly address court about my concerns, was not given the opportunity” Besigye said.
Dr. Besigye further noted that Justice Baguma’s actions who he has time and again argued to be biased in his application for bail are set to not having his treason case heard before the courts of law.
“Being a person accused of a serious offence, I find it strange and oppressive if I cannot raise a concern directly in open court. If each time a written submission of the concern has to be made and time fixed for your response, the case may never be concluded. Meanwhile, I remain confined in prison”
Besigye further demanded that the judge cite the law he used to block him from addressing open court in person.
“Be that as it may, prior to raising my concerns in writing, I request you to point me to the provisions of the law that bar an accused person from really raising concerns in court, touching their trial, during any audience with the judge, in the presence of their lawyers” Besigye wrote.
Besigye said he would take into the consideration the law justice Baguma used to block him from addressing court the next time he seeks to voice his concerns I court.
“Following your response, I will take into consideration that law to guide me in raising my concerns to court” he said.
Besigye’s letter reinforces that view, warning that denying him a voice in his own trial risks entrenching a precedent where opposition figures are reduced to spectators in cases that determine their liberty.
The bad blood between Justice Baguma and Dr kizza besigye began when the latter accused the judge of bias during their bail application hearings which recently led to Besigye and Lutale recently declining to appear before court over Judge Baguma’s ‘bias’.
During a hearing early last month, defence Lawyer Erias Lukwago informed court that the duo would not appear in Baguma’s court who had already ruled that they should not waste time on applying for bail but rather concentrate on the main case.
