Africa-Press – Uganda. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has pledged to join a peaceful walk in solidarity with detained opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, whose prolonged imprisonment without bail has drawn widespread criticism and fueled accusations of political persecution.
Besigye and his co-accused, Obeid Lutale, were abducted in November 2024 and later charged with treason. They have now spent nearly a year in Luzira Prison as courts continue to reject their bail applications.
Defence lawyers argue that under the Constitution, having spent more than 180 days on remand without trial, the pair should qualify for mandatory release.
In a post on X, Byanyima said she would take a day off her official duties to walk for Besigye, declaring her action a stand for “justice, equality before the law, and freedom of speech and assembly.”
“I stand with you for justice, equality before the law and freedom of speech and of assembly. Thank you for your courageous leadership,” she wrote.
Her remarks came in the wake of a parody X account in the name of Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, which suggested a one-day nationwide march for Besigye and other political detainees. No date for such a march has been announced.
People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) deputy secretary general Harold Kaija said the party was unaware of any planned march, adding, “There are many activists who plan many things. That one I don’t know about.”
Meanwhile, the legal standoff surrounding Besigye’s case has intensified. His lawyer, Erias Lukwago, has objected to Justice Emmanuel Baguma presiding over repeated bail hearings, accusing him of bias since he previously denied bail.
Justice Baguma has set October 1 for trial and October 8 for a bail hearing, but the defence insists it will not appear before him.
The defence further argues that the treason case should be handled by the International Crimes Division (ICD), where it was first filed, rather than by Justice Baguma.
Prosecutors maintain that the defence is deliberately stalling the proceedings.
The treason charges stem from allegations that Besigye and Lutale conspired to overthrow the government, accusations they strongly deny.
Byanyima’s move to walk in Besigye’s name adds momentum to growing calls for his release. Rights groups and opposition activists accuse the state of weaponising prolonged detention and arbitrary arrests to silence dissent ahead of the 2026 elections.
The situation echoes the August 2018 arrest of then-opposition MP Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, during a by-election in Arua.
His detention, allegations of torture, and the killing of his driver sparked nationwide protests under the “Free Bobi Wine” campaign.
Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains one of Uganda’s most resilient opposition figures, and his continued incarceration is likely to further galvanise opposition voices in the run-up to the polls.
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