A Nairobi meeting and alleged plans to set up a training camp in Kisumu have become key parts of Uganda’s evidence against opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye as his treason trial continues before the High Court.
The prosecution has linked Besigye and two co-accused to meetings held in Kenya and other countries, alleging that the gatherings were connected to a plan to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government by force.
Besigye is facing the charges together with his aide, Hajji Obeid Lutale, and Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) officer Captain Denis Oola, also known as Denis Oola Ooya. All three have denied the allegations.
Prosecutors allege that between 2023 and 2024, the accused took part in meetings held in Uganda, Kenya, Greece and Switzerland as part of an alleged plan involving the raising of funds, acquisition of weapons and organisation of activities against the Ugandan government.
Nairobi has drawn particular attention in the proceedings because of a meeting held on November 16, 2024.
The prosecution’s evidence includes audio and video recordings which it says were secretly captured during meetings involving Besigye and his associates.
The court heard on Thursday that Uganda paid 59.32 million shillings to have some of the recordings transcribed into written evidence.
The transcription work was carried out by Makerere University’s Centre for Languages and Communication Services at a cost of 70,000 Ugandan shillings per minute.
The recordings, which run for two hours, 29 minutes and three seconds, were submitted by Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate on a flash disk.
The details were given to court by the prosecution’s second witness, Medadi Ssentanda, a senior lecturer at Makerere University and coordinator at the centre.
Ssentanda told Justice Emmanuel Baguma that the CID sent the transcription request to the university on September 5, 2025.
The recordings are alleged to have been made by Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando, who is the prosecution’s first witness.
Wilson, a British-American security investigator, told the court that he was working for the Ugandan government when he secretly recorded meetings involving Besigye and his associates.
He completed his testimony this week after several weeks before the court.
His evidence largely dealt with meetings that the prosecution says took place in Nairobi, Athens and Geneva and were connected to an alleged wider effort to remove Museveni’s government from power.
In relation to Nairobi, Wilson told the court that he was part of an intelligence operation linked to the November 16, 2024 meeting.
He said two guns and what was described as counterfeit money found at Riverside Apartments had been intentionally placed there during the operation.
Wilson also said Kenyan police were involved in the arrangements surrounding the meeting.
When asked about his reference to Kenyan police and a gun at Riverside Theatre, Wilson told the court: “I assume it was the Kenyan police that organized the logistics for the meeting in Nairobi, my lord.”
His account of the Nairobi events was subjected to questioning during cross-examination.
Wilson acknowledged that his initial statement to police did not name either Lutale or Captain Oola, although both were subsequently charged alongside Besigye.
Kisumu has also been mentioned in the prosecution’s allegations.
The State claims that discussions involving Besigye and his associates included proposals to establish a training camp in the Kenyan city.
Prosecutors say the alleged discussions covered the training of opposition supporters in paramilitary skills, as well as efforts to obtain weapons and other resources.
Wilson also showed the court various devices he said he used to make covert recordings of the meetings.
The equipment included cameras hidden inside objects such as a wall charger, USB charger, power bank and necklace, alongside other audio-recording devices.
The prosecution maintains that Besigye, Lutale and Captain Oola attended meetings both inside Uganda and abroad as part of an alleged effort to raise money, obtain weapons and coordinate activities intended to overthrow the government.
The three accused have rejected the charges.
Treason is a capital offence in Uganda and a conviction carries a maximum sentence of death.