In a shocking turn at Kampala’s high court, 70‑year‑old opposition icon Kizza Besigye went unconscious while arguing his legal representation. He was immediately rushed to the intensive‑care unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Besigye has been jailed since November 2024 amid a treason case that critics argue is politically motivated. His wife, UN AIDS chief Winnie Byanyima, posted on the social network X that her husband is “unresponsive” and will not accept any government medical staff. She urged the authorities to allow Besigye’s personal physician, his sister Olive, to treat him in a private clinic.
The court scene was tense: Besigye repeatedly shouted “stop” before the fall, and witnesses said he felt hurt. Prison wardens boarded his ambulance while armed security surrounded the ICU room.
Besigye’s main lawyer, Erias Lukwago, is in jail after being seized by the army last month. A Kenyan lawyer, Martha Karua, was denied entry into Uganda when she arrived to represent him. These developments underscore a broader pattern of military pressure on political dissent in the region.
His son, Adam Ampa, has publicly appealed to President Museveni and army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, calling for a humanitarian release of his father. Other opposition figures, including former presidential rival Bobi Wine, have condemned Besigye’s treatment as a gross violation of basic rights.
Besigye’s long fight against the country’s dominant regime began in the 1990s, when he left the president’s inner circle, and his battles have continued through several denied elections. The current case could carry a death sentence if he is found guilty of treason.
The situation remains fluid as the judicial process and military pressures continue to intersect. Stay tuned for updates on Besigye’s health and the legal outcome of the treason trial.
