In brief
Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition figure and former personal doctor to President Museveni, was found unconscious during a treason trial in Kampala and rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital’s ICU. His wife, Winnie Byanyima of UNAIDS, posted that he refuses government treatment and is awaiting care from his private physician. Besigye’s family and other opposition MPs have appealed for humanitarian release, while his lead lawyer remains detained. The incident underscores the high stakes for opposition figures under Museveni’s long‑term rule.
Kizza Besigye Plummets Into ICU After Court Collapse
The 70‑year‑old opposition leader, known for his repeated bids against President Yoweri Museveni, was admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital’s intensive care unit after collapsing during a hearing related to a treason charge. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, head of the United Nations Agency for HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), posted on X that he “is unconscious, unable to speak, and unresponsive even to a pain stimulus.”
Besigye has been in detention since November 2024, following an alleged abduction incident in Kenya earlier this year. His legal representation is in dispute: his former chief lawyer was arrested last month, while Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua was barred entry when she attempted to travel to the country to take on his case.
During the Wednesday hearing, witnesses noted that Besigye repeatedly shouted “stop” at state lawyers who were appointed to represent him. The court’s security staff promptly transported him to the hospital, but he has declined treatment from government medical staff, insisting that his personal doctor‑trainer should attend to him.
His son, Adam Ampa, has sent an open letter to President Museveni and army chief General Museveni’s son calling for a humanitarian release, underscoring the personal toll of the political crackdown.
The situation illustrates the precarious position of opposition figures in Uganda, where treason is a capital offence. Besigye’s case remains a focal point for the international community’s discussions on due process and the protection of political dissent in the region.
