Detained Ugandan opposition leader Besigye in intensive care, wife says

Kizza Besigye, a 70-year-old Ugandan opposition figure, was admitted to intensive care at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala after collapsing during a court session. According to his wife Winnie Byanyima, who heads the UN AIDS programme UNAIDS, Besigye is currently unconscious and unresponsive. The collapse occurred as Besigye was protesting the conditions of his trial, particularly his inability to be represented by lawyers of his choosing. His primary legal counsel, Erias Lukwago, had himself been detained and charged, further complicating the defendant's case.

Byanyima has publicly called for her husband to be transferred from the public hospital to a private medical facility where his personal physician can oversee his treatment. She expressed concerns about the quality of care available at the government hospital. However, the court has not yet approved this transfer request. Ingrid Turinawe, a close associate of Besigye, reported that visitors have been restricted from seeing the opposition leader at the hospital, though his personal physician was permitted access several hours after the collapse.

Besigye has been in custody since November 2024, when he and his aide Obeid Lutale were detained in Kenya and subsequently repatriated to Uganda to face treason charges. His legal team, supporters, and human rights advocates contend that the charges are politically motivated and represent part of a broader campaign by President Yoweri Museveni against political opponents. Both Museveni and his son, military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, have made public statements against Besigye. Kainerugaba previously characterized Besigye as "a dead man walking," while Museveni stated that Besigye must answer for alleged serious offences related to plotting against the government.

Prosecutors have recently begun presenting evidence they claim demonstrates that Besigye and others conspired to overthrow the government. Besigye, a former ally of Museveni who became a critic, represents one of the most prominent opposition voices in Uganda. The political context includes the disputed January election results, which Museveni was declared to have won, though runner-up Bobi Wine rejected the outcome and subsequently fled to the United States.