The High Court has given the Attorney General 14 days to file responses in a case where Ugandan opposition leader, Col (Rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye, has sued the Kenyan government over his deportation.

When the matter came up for compliance, the Attorney General’s lawyer, Mr. Marwa, informed the court that despite having been duly served, no responses had been filed. He explained that the respondents occupy different offices and that letters sent in an attempt to coordinate and prepare a joint response had gone unanswered.

Mr. Marwa requested the court to grant an extension of 21 days to file the necessary responses.

However, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, representing Dr. Besigye, opposed the request. She noted that the respondents had been served on 28th July, yet had failed to enter appearance by 29th September—two months later.

“If you are inclined to grant them time, the State office must be cautioned. How do they take two months without responding?” she argued.

Karua further emphasized the significance of the case, stating that it carries cross-border implications. She pointed out that her legal team had travelled from Uganda due to the case’s direct impact on Dr. Besigye’s political struggles at home and its relevance to regional security.

In his ruling, Justice Lawrence Mugambi held that the Attorney General had already been afforded sufficient time to respond and declined the request for a 21-day extension. Instead, he granted the State 14 more days to file their responses.

The case continues to attract public attention, as Dr. Besigye—one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures—challenges his deportation from Kenya, a case that raises significant questions about political rights and regional security dynamics.