No release for Museveni's rival

Kizza Besigye is seen as the first credible challenger to the president

Uganda's High Court has again failed to release opposition leader Kizza Besigye, despite his lawyer's appeals.

He remains in detention on multiple charges despite being granted bail because of a military remand warrant.

A judge said he would not make a ruling until 2 January, when Dr Besigye's treason and rape trail will start.

His wife said that Dr Besigye, who returned from exile to contest next year's polls, spent a lonely Christmas in prison as no visits were permitted.

He is facing separate charges by a military tribunal of terrorism and weapons offences.

His Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters say his arrest in November and the multiple charges are to stop him running in February's polls.

The BBC Kampala correspondent says there are mixed views about whether Dr Besigye's continued imprisonment is harming his presidential prospects.

Although he is unable to campaign, our correspondent says he is likely to win sympathy votes.

Two-fingered wave

When Judge John Bosco Katutsi first entered the court room four policemen had taken up positions near the judge, our correspondent says.

We asked for permission to go as a family to visit him, we were refused Winnie Byanyima

He looked at them disapprovingly before commanding, "Get out!" Three of them then left.

During the hearing, Dr Besigye's lawyer said that a warrant from the military court remanding him in prison had expired.

But the state lawyer argued that the warrant had been extended legally until 3 January and denied that the military court could take orders from the High Court.

After the postponement, Dr Besigye gave his FDC party's two-fingered wave as he was returned to the cells.

His wife Winnie Byanyima said she was not allowed to visit her husband over Christmas.

Kizza Besigye was once a political ally of President Museveni

"[He spent] a lonely Christmas. We asked for permission to go as a family to visit him, we were refused... We asked again if we could visit him on Boxing Day, again we were denied," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

The prisons commissioner said on Wednesday that no visits were allowed on public holidays to any prisoners.

Meanwhile, President Yoweri Museveni continues on the campaign trail - at a rally on Tuesday he promised to scrap a property tax, which he described as murderous.

He now faces four rivals in February as presidential candidate Nasser Sebagala has dropped out of the race and urged his supporters to back the Democratic Party candidate Ssebana Kizito.

Dr Besigye is seen as the first credible challenger to President Museveni, who has been in power for 19 years. These will be the first multi-party elections since Mr Museveni took power.