Veteran Ugandan opposition politician collapses in court and in ICU, his wife says
The 70 year old has been in detention since November 2024 and faces treason charges, which he denies.
Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a veteran politician, has been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in Kampala after collapsing during his treason trial. His wife confirmed he is unconscious and unresponsive.
The 70-year-old has been in detention since November 2024. He reportedly collapsed while objecting to state-appointed lawyers representing him, prompting prison guards to transport him to the hospital.
Winnie Byanyima, Besigye's wife and head of UNAids, stated on X that he is "unconscious, unable to speak, and unresponsive even to a pain stimulus."
Besigye, who has challenged long-serving President Yoweri Museveni in four presidential elections, was controversially abducted in Kenya in 2024 and returned to Uganda. He and his aide, Obeid Lutale, face treason charges, which they deny. Prosecutors allege they conspired to overthrow Museveni's government. Treason is a capital offense in Uganda, carrying a potential death sentence.
During Wednesday's High Court hearing in Kampala, witnesses reported Besigye repeatedly shouted "stop" regarding his legal representation before collapsing. His wife added that he cried out about being injured and that his sister, Dr. Olive Kobusingye, was present but not permitted to assist him.
He was transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda's largest public hospital, but is refusing treatment from government medical personnel. Byanyima stated, "He will not allow any government official to touch him," and demanded he be treated by his personal physician at a private clinic.
The ICU where Besigye is being treated is under heavy security. Reports indicate his sister, who is also his personal doctor, has now been granted access.
Besigye's main lawyer, Erias Lukwago, was arrested by the army last month and is currently jailed, charged with allegedly failing to report acts of treason. His other lead lawyer, Kenyan Martha Karua, was denied entry into Uganda last month when she attempted to represent him.
Besigye's son, Adam Ampa, has appealed to President Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's army chief, for his father's release on humanitarian grounds. Ampa wrote in an open letter, "Regardless of politics, no son should have to witness his father reach such a state while standing before the very law he served and dedicated his life."
Bobi Wine, a Ugandan opposition politician who fled the country after the January presidential election, condemned Besigye's court appearance while unwell as a "shocking violation of his most basic rights."
Besigye previously served as Museveni's personal doctor before their split in 1999. He has been less politically active in recent years and did not contest the 2021 election.