Africa-Press. The wife of Uganda’s opposition leader announced that her husband, “Kiza Besigye,” is in danger after she visited him in prison. Winnie Byanyima said in a statement posted on X: “He is in a state of severe weakness.” The Popular Front for Freedom (PFF) party reported that the 69-year-old politician was transferred at night to a medical facility, without specifying the nature of his illness.
A spokesperson for the prison service denied that Besigye’s health is critical, describing his visit to the doctor as a “routine medical check.” Besigye, the former personal physician of President Yoweri Museveni and one of his oldest political opponents, has been detained since November 2024.
Byanyima, a prominent human rights activist and chair of the UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, said: “Dr. Besigye told me he is having difficulty walking and suffers excruciating pain in his legs.” She noted that his health is deteriorating due to an infection, without providing further details.
She described finding him curled up on a dirty plastic chair in a small room near his cell, where he was returned after receiving medical treatment throughout the night.
Besigye, who has run for president against Museveni four times, is detained along with his assistant, Ubed Lutali, since their surprise arrest in Kenya and return to Uganda.
The leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Uganda faces charges of high treason, punishable by death, as well as possession of unlicensed firearms and threats to national security, before a military court. He denies the allegations.
Last month, the court rejected their bail request for the fourth time, stating that it was premature to release them before they had presented their defense.
In a statement released last Tuesday, the Popular Front for Besigye’s Liberation accused Ugandan authorities of depriving him of adequate medical care, noting that continued detention constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights.
The party said: “It is unfortunate that a man who has dedicated his life to the health and freedom of others is denied his right to proper medical care,” adding: “We hold the regime and prison authorities fully responsible for his safety.”
The prison service spokesperson denied that Besigye’s condition is critical, saying the opposition figure is under routine medical supervision. “Kiza Besigye receives the necessary treatment like other inmates, and his condition is good,” the spokesperson said, adding: “He was doing his exercises this morning.” Byanyima described this statement as a “cover-up attempt.”
She added: “Last night, after a severe deterioration of his condition, he was urgently transferred to his personal doctor’s clinic, where he received treatment, then returned to prison late at night,” calling on authorities to move him to a fully equipped hospital.
Another opposition leader, Bobby Wine, expressed concern over Besigye’s health in detention, stating that his condition appears to be steadily deteriorating due to limited access to medical care. In a post on X, Wine said: “We fully stand in solidarity with him and pray for his recovery.”
This is not the first time the veteran opposition leader has fallen ill in Luzira Prison, a maximum-security prison in Kampala. Last February, he was also reported to be in critical condition after going on a hunger strike demanding justice.
Besigye, who last ran for president in 2016, has previously accused authorities of political persecution. In recent years, his political activity has declined, and he did not run in the general elections held earlier this month. His family, the opposition, and human rights organizations have intensified calls for his release on health grounds.
Last Saturday, Museveni, in power since 1986, was declared the winner of the presidential election with 72% of the vote. His closest rival, Bobby Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi), received 25% of the vote. Wine rejected the results as “rigged” and went into hiding after receiving death threats.
