Detained Ugandan Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye in Intensive Care After Collapsing in Court
Uganda’s prominent opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of Mulago National Referral Hospital after collapsing during a court appearance in Kampala, according to his wife, Winnie Byanyima.
Besigye, 70, who is currently facing treason charges, reportedly collapsed on Wednesday while appearing before the court in the Ugandan capital. Witnesses said he was immediately rushed from the courtroom in an ambulance as concerns mounted over his deteriorating health.
In a statement shared on the social media platform X in the early hours of Thursday, Byanyima—who also serves as Executive Director of the United Nations AIDS Programme (UNAIDS)—described her husband’s condition as critical.
“He is unconscious, unable to speak, and unresponsive even to a pain stimulus,” she wrote, confirming that he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The Ugandan government has yet to issue an official statement on Besigye’s condition. Government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Besigye, one of Uganda’s most recognizable opposition leaders and a long-time critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has remained in detention since November 2024. He was arrested alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, in neighbouring Kenya before both men were returned to Uganda, where prosecutors charged them with treason.
The case has attracted widespread domestic and international attention, with Besigye’s legal team, political supporters and several human rights organizations insisting that the charges are politically motivated. They argue that his prolonged detention reflects a broader crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices in Uganda.
Besigye has been a central figure in Ugandan politics for decades, repeatedly challenging President Museveni’s administration and advocating for democratic reforms. His latest detention has intensified concerns among rights groups about political freedoms, judicial independence and the treatment of opposition leaders ahead of future political developments in the country.
President Museveni, 81, was declared the winner of Uganda’s most recent general election in January. However, the outcome was rejected by opposition candidate Bobi Wine, who alleged electoral irregularities and has since gone into exile in the United States.
As news of Besigye’s hospitalization spreads, political observers and supporters are closely monitoring developments, with many calling for transparency regarding his health and renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding his detention. The incident is expected to further fuel debate over Uganda’s political climate and the treatment of opposition figures within the country’s justice system.
