Besigye brought two loaded pistols to Nairobi meeting, court hears

What the report says

British-American national Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando, told court that Ugandan opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye arrived at a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, with two pistols loaded with live ammunition. According to Nile Post, Wilson said the meeting took place at Riverside Apartments on November 16, 2024, and that he and an associate were upset by the presence of the firearms.

Wilson told the court he personally unloaded the weapons after judging them to be in poor condition, saying this was done to protect those present. He also said he was unsure why Besigye brought the guns to the meeting. The article says the discussion was captured in two audio recordings lasting about one hour and 50 minutes, and that the meeting was reportedly the one during which Besigye was arrested.

The proceedings also touched on other people mentioned in the recordings, including Joel Wakhayima and Obeid Lutale, though Lutale’s voice was not heard beyond the initial introductions. Wilson said the gathering included discussion about alleged disciplinary action involving Wakhayima, who had previously accompanied Besigye to meetings in Geneva, amid concerns that information about training in Kisumu may have been leaked. These details are relevant because the recordings appear central to the ongoing court case and to the circumstances around Besigye’s arrest in Nairobi.