The health of veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has deteriorated sharply, according to his party, after he was taken overnight to a private medical facility in Kampala under heavy security.
The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) said the 69-year-old politician is in a critical condition, though it did not disclose a specific diagnosis. Prison authorities, however, played down the concerns, saying Besigye’s hospital visit was only for a routine medical check-up and insisting that his condition was stable.
Besigye, a former personal doctor to President Yoweri Museveni and one of his longest-standing political opponents, has been in detention since November 2024. He is facing charges in a military court, including treason, which carries the death penalty, as well as illegal possession of a firearm and threatening national security. He has denied all the accusations.
The opposition leader has contested the presidency against Museveni four times and has been detained alongside his associate, Obeid Lutale, since both were seized in Kenya and forcibly returned to Uganda. Last month, a court rejected their bail application for the fourth time, ruling that it was premature as they had not yet entered pleas.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the PFF accused the authorities of denying Besigye proper medical care, describing his continued detention as a violation of his fundamental rights. The party said it was unacceptable that someone who had devoted his life to public health and freedom was being denied medical dignity, and it held the government and prison authorities fully responsible for his condition.
Uganda Prisons Service spokesperson Frank Baine dismissed claims that Besigye was seriously ill, saying he was receiving standard medical attention like other inmates. Baine added that Besigye had been exercising earlier in the day and was doing fine.
The PFF rejected those remarks, describing them as an attempt to conceal the physical impact of prolonged detention. The party insisted that its leader was seriously unwell and demanded immediate and unrestricted access for his personal doctors and family so he could receive specialised, independent care.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, told a local television station that her husband had been suffering from acute stomach pain, a high fever and severe dehydration. She said he had been shaking, unable to walk, and had refused treatment from prison medical staff. Byanyima, a prominent human rights advocate and head of UNAids, said his condition was deeply worrying.
Another opposition leader, Bobi Wine, also expressed alarm over Besigye’s health, saying it appeared to be worsening while he remained in custody with limited access to proper medical care. He said the opposition stood in solidarity with Besigye and was praying for his recovery.
This is not the first time Besigye has fallen seriously ill while detained at Luzira Prison, a maximum-security facility in Kampala. In February last year, he was reported to be critically ill after launching a hunger strike to protest what he described as injustice and political persecution.
In recent years, Besigye has reduced his political activity and did not contest the general election held earlier this month. Nonetheless, his detention has drawn increasing criticism from his family, opposition figures and human rights groups, many of whom are calling for his release on medical grounds.
President Museveni has previously blamed Besigye and his legal team for delays in the trial, arguing that these delays have contributed to his continued detention. Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, was declared the winner of last week’s presidential election with 72% of the vote. Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, came second with 25% and has rejected the results as fraudulent, saying he has gone into hiding after receiving threats to his life.
