36 members of the opposition in Uganda who were deported from Kenya were on Monday charged with terrorism at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate Court.
These members were part of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) which is one of the East African country's major opposition parties. They consisted of 33 men and three women.
According to Ugandan media outlets, the group was accused of being in Kenya to provide or receive terrorist training before they were arrested by Kenyan police officers.
In Kenya, the Ugandans alleged that they were tortured before being deported to Uganda. They were handed over to Uganda's military intelligence agency, the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
Additionally, while being detained in Kenya their items including phones and computers were also confiscated by the Kenyan authorities.
The party however denied the charges arguing that the members were in Kenya for a leadership and government training course in Kisumu on July 23.
In a video shared by the Daily Monitor, the suspects were heard singing at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate's Court in Uganda.
"We shall overcome, Museveni will go someday," they were heard chanting.
Through their lawyer Erias Lukwago, the individuals termed the charges against them as ridiculous. The 36 will be remanded until August 13.
Kifefe Kizza Besigye the former president of the FDC while commenting on the matter condemned the unlawful way the 36 were allegedly brought back to Kenya with the aid of Ugandan officers and Kenya authorities.
He complained that they were deported to Uganda at night without going through the Kenyan or Ugandan immigration officials.
Taking to his social media, Besigye argued that the group was fully invited to the training course and entered Kenya through the right means only to be ambushed at night, beaten up and violently arrested.
"The place where they were to hold their workshop was lawfully engaged. They were illegally arrested; illegally deported; apart from the torture and other Human Rights violations done by government forces of both Uganda and Kenya," he wrote.
"What’s surprising and worrying in this incident, is the behaviour of Kenya government. I hope Kenyan institutions can investigate this matter, to address the situation."
