Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been detained and treated in a health clinic overnight, sparking concerns about his health and the government’s intentions.
Detained Kizza Besigye, a 68-year-old Ugandan opposition figure, treated in clinic overnight.
Kizza Besigye is a Ugandan physician and politician who has been at the forefront of opposition to long-time President Yoweri Museveni's government.
A former army doctor, Besigye served as a personal physician to Museveni before entering politics in the late 1990s.
He ran for president five times, with his closest election being in 2001 when he secured 28% of the vote.
Besigye has been arrested multiple times for leading protests against government corruption and human rights abuses.
Kizza Besigye has been returned to prison after being treated in a health clinic overnight. His allies have confirmed that he was rushed to the private medical facility in a prison ambulance due to his deteriorating health.
Besigye has been on hunger strike for a week, protesting against his continued detention by the military. He was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, threatening national security, and treachery, which carries the death sentence. However, he denies all accusations.
On Sunday, Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi visited Besigye in prison and urged him to resume eating, promising to drop his military trial and transfer the case to a civil court. However, Winnie Byanyima, Besigye’s wife, expressed skepticism about the visit, stating that it was ‘highly suspicious‘ and that her husband is being held captive by the government.
Despite the minister’s assurances, Besigye was taken to a clinic in a suburb of Kampala under heavy security deployment. His allies reported that he was being pushed in a wheelchair and that prison officers told them he would be returned to jail after conducting some tests.
The Ugandan medical doctors’ association has called for Besigye’s immediate release on health grounds, citing his frail appearance during a court hearing last week. This latest development comes amidst ongoing controversy over the government’s decision to try civilians in military courts, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last month.
Besigye, a former ally of President Yoweri Museveni, has been detained since November and faces a military trial despite his repeated denials of any wrongdoing. His supporters are calling for his release, with some accusing the government of political persecution.
