KAMPALA, Uganda — Detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who has been on a hunger strike for a week, has been returned to prison after receiving medical attention at a private clinic overnight, his allies confirmed on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Besigye, 68, was reportedly rushed to the facility in a prison ambulance as his health deteriorated, his lawyer Erias Lukwago said in a statement on Facebook.
His condition remains a cause for concern, with reports suggesting that he is extremely weak and unable to leave his bed.
Concerns Over Besigye’s Health
The former presidential candidate, who has challenged long-serving President Yoweri Museveni four times at the polls, was dramatically abducted from Kenya in November and taken back to Uganda, where he now faces a military trial.
He has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm, threatening national security, and treason—a charge that carries the death penalty. Besigye denies all accusations.
His hunger strike is a protest against his continued detention by the military, with his trial yet to begin.
Calls for his release have intensified in recent days, with human rights groups, opposition leaders, and family members urging the government to grant him medical freedom.
Prison Visit Sparks Controversy
On Sunday, Uganda’s Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi visited Besigye in prison, urging him to resume eating and pledging that the government would move his case from the military court to a civilian court.
“I asked him to end the hunger strike as the government fast-tracks the transfer of his case from a court martial to a civil court,” Baryomunsi said.
However, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, dismissed the visit as “highly suspicious.”
“As a government minister, you are not a concerned visitor—you are his captor,” Byanyima, who is also the director of the UN’s HIV/AIDS programme, posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“We will hold you and your government fully accountable for any harm that comes to him.”
I visited @kizzabesigye1 in his prison cell today. He was lying on a small bed that occupies the whole length of the room. A pile of old newspapers & 2 old cardboard boxes next to his bed left room for one stool to sit on.
There were about six or seven locked doors that I went… https://t.co/ecdPUPJa94— Winnie Byanyima (@Winnie_Byanyima) February 17, 2025
Failed Attempts to Visit Besigye
On Monday, opposition leader Bobi Wine, alongside human rights activists, attempted to visit Besigye in prison but was denied entry. Wine later told reporters that Besigye was in critical condition.
“This man is actually dying. Dr Besigye is in a terrible state. He cannot leave his bed,” he said.
“His co-accused, Obed Lutale, told us that Besigye collapsed this morning when they were trying to carry him out of his bed.”
Francis Mwijukye, a lawmaker allied with Besigye, confirmed that the opposition leader had been taken to a clinic in Kampala on Sunday night under “very heavy security deployment” and was seen being pushed in a wheelchair.
Despite concerns over his deteriorating health, Ugandan Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine refused to comment on the situation when contacted by the BBC.
“I said no comment, that is enough,” Baine responded.
President @KagutaMuseveni, you are holding an innocent man captive in open defiance of Uganda’s constitution. Why? That is the question you must answer.
An innocent man does not beg for his trial—justice demands it! He who alleges must prove, but you have twisted the law to… https://t.co/BpWQNjjhWf
— Winnie Byanyima (@Winnie_Byanyima) February 18, 2025
Legal Uncertainty Over Military Trial
The controversy surrounding Besigye’s detention has intensified following a recent ruling by Uganda’s Supreme Court, which declared that trying civilians in military courts was unconstitutional.
President Museveni dismissed the decision as “wrong” and vowed to challenge it.
The Ugandan government has since insisted that Besigye’s trial would continue, despite legal objections.
However, on Sunday, Baryomunsi signaled a potential shift, suggesting that the case might be moved to a civilian court.
Besigye appeared frail when he was brought before a separate court last Friday.
The Ugandan Medical Association has since called for his “immediate release” on health grounds.
