Kizza Besigye, a prominent Ugandan opposition figure, was admitted to the intensive care unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital following a collapse in court on Wednesday.
Besigye's wife, Winnie Byanyima, who is also the Executive Director of UNAIDS, confirmed on social media that the 70-year-old is unconscious, unable to respond to pain, and currently in critical condition.
The incident occurred while Besigye was appearing before a court in Kampala where he faces treason charges. He was immediately transported by ambulance from the courtroom.
Background
- Besigye has been detained since November 2024 after being arrested in Kenya along with his aide and returned to Uganda.
- He is accused of treason, charges his supporters and human rights groups describe as politically motivated amid a wider crackdown on dissent under President Yoweri Museveni.
- Museveni, 81, was re-elected in January 2026, a result disputed by opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is now in exile in the United States.
Profile of Kizza Besigye
- Born April 22, 1956, Besigye is a doctor, former military officer, and politician.
- He studied medicine at Makerere University, graduating in 1980, and worked in hospitals in Uganda and Kenya.
- In 1982, he joined Museveni's National Resistance Movement and served as Museveni’s personal physician.
- Following the NRM’s rise to power in 1986, Besigye held ministerial and military leadership roles, retiring as a colonel in 2001.
- He has been a persistent challenger to Museveni's long rule, facing multiple arrests and charges over the years.
Recent Developments
- Besigye has been held in military detention despite a Supreme Court ruling declaring civilian trials in military courts unconstitutional.
- He began a hunger strike in February 2026 and has been reported by his family and lawyers as weak and ill.
- The Commonwealth and various human rights organizations in East Africa have called for his immediate release.
