Muntu Warns of Uganda’s "Turning Point" Amid Besigye’s Deteriorating Health
The leader of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Gen. Mugisha Muntu, has warned that Uganda is approaching a critical "turning point" due to continued government suppression and authoritarian rule.
In a post via his X formerly Twitter on Wednesday, Muntu accused the ruling regime of "normalising the abnormal," a tactic he says authoritarian governments use to consolidate power.
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He cautioned that such actions inevitably lead to a tipping point beyond the government's control.
"We are just staring at a scene of what the regime has been implementing for a long time," Muntu stated. "All authoritarian regimes try it,"he said.
"The inevitable next phase is the turning point—one that they cannot control. The phase of a trigger. Always inevitable, too. A luta continua,"he added.
His remarks came as concerns mounted over the deteriorating health of Dr. Kizza Besigye, who appeared visibly frail at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
The four-time presidential candidate, who has been on remand for nearly three months despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering his release, struggled to breathe in court, prompting emotional reactions from his allies.
Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura, a longtime loyalist, described Besigye’s condition as dire.
"Our leader Kizza Besigye is visibly unwell, he is gasping for air and is in a sorry state. This is painful and hard to take in!" she posted on X.
Besigye, who was arrested on November 16, 2024, and charged with treason before a military court, was supposed to be freed after the Supreme Court ruled last month that civilians cannot be tried in military courts.
However, he remains detained at Luzira Prison, raising concerns about judicial independence and the government's defiance of court rulings.
Uganda Prisons has denied reports that Besigye is on a hunger strike, insisting that he is in good health and receiving adequate care. However, his allies strongly dispute this, citing his frail condition in court.
Political analyst and journalist Yusuf Sserunkuma warned that Besigye’s prolonged detention could have serious consequences.
"Whoever is calling the shots to continue incarcerating Dr. Kizza Besigye is risking all of us," Sserunkuma wrote.
