Politics 28 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Besigye Treason Trial: Court Told of Plot to Spy on President Museveni
During the treason trial of opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, a key witness testified about an alleged plot involving foreign nationals posing as tourists to conduct surveillance on President Museveni's State House and movements. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/besigye-trial-court-hears-of-plot-to-spy-on-museveni-5574098
The High Court in Kampala has heard details of an alleged plot to spy on President Yoweri Museveni as part of a treason trial involving opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye. Andrew Wilson, testifying as the first prosecution witness under the alias Orlando, told the court that two foreign individuals were intended to pose as tourists in Entebbe.
Their supposed mission was to conduct surveillance around State House, closely monitoring President Museveni’s movements and security arrangements. Wilson stated, “The plan was that I would send two white people who would disguise themselves as tourists in Entebbe to keep watching the State House, watching the President’s movements, and the levels of his security.” This intelligence was purportedly to identify the optimal time and location for an alleged assassination attempt.
Excerpts from a video recording, identified by the prosecution as featuring Dr. Besigye, were presented to the court. In the recording, a voice alleged to be Dr. Besigye’s discusses the President’s travel between Kampala and Entebbe, noting the specific road closure for his journeys. Wilson claimed this information was to be combined with the surveillance data to plan an attack, with gunfire allegedly being the proposed method.
The witness’s testimony focused on a secret recording he claims to have made during a meeting with Dr. Besigye and an associate, Joel Wakayima, in Geneva in June 2024. Wilson stated this was the third such meeting aimed at planning an attack on President Museveni. He explained that he used a covert camera hidden in a power bank to record the proceedings in his apartment.
Dr. Besigye and his co-accused deny the charges, which relate to an alleged plot to overthrow the government. The hearing is scheduled to continue, with the witness expected to remain on the stand. Dr. Besigye is currently being tried in absentia after experiencing health issues in court.