Besigye was unwise and could not overthrow government — Orlando

What the report says

British-American Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando, told the High Court in Kampala that veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye was too trusting to realise he was dealing with a government operative during meetings tied to an alleged plan against the Ugandan government. Nile Post reported that Wilson, who is testifying in the case, portrayed Besigye as lacking the caution and discipline he said would be needed for such an operation.

Wilson said Besigye should have become suspicious after being shown fake currency and after a proposed training camp in Kisumu, Kenya, did not go ahead. He told court that Besigye later continued meeting him at places Wilson preferred, including private locations, which he said allowed him to install recording equipment. The article also says Wilson claimed the fake money was part of a wider alleged scheme to weaken Uganda’s economy before any attempt to topple President Yoweri Museveni’s government.

According to the report, Wilson described a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where Besigye first refused to come to Wilson’s apartment but later agreed after being persuaded. He also referred to video evidence shown in court that captured Besigye asking how details of the planned camp with Wilson and associate Joel Wakhayima had been leaked. Wilson argued that these events should have alerted Besigye that he was interacting with an operative rather than a trusted contact.

The case is significant because it forms part of a sensitive High Court proceeding involving allegations of plotting against the state, with Wilson’s testimony aimed at showing how the alleged operation was carried out and why he believes Besigye misjudged the people around him.