Uganda’s veteran opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye has been awarded the Akufo-Addo Democracy Prize by the Democracy Union of Africa (DUA) in recognition of his long-standing campaign for democracy and human rights in Uganda.
The award, announced at the DUA summit in Nairobi, honours Besigye’s decades of activism and his role as a central figure in the struggle against authoritarian rule.
He remains incarcerated at Luzira Maximum Security Prison on treason charges, which his supporters say are politically motivated.
Besigye, a former presidential contender and prominent critic of President Museveni, has faced repeated arrests and detentions since he broke away from government in the late 1990s.
His confrontations with the state have often intensified during election cycles and civil disobedience campaigns such as the Walk-to-Work protests.
He is currently accused of plotting to overthrow the government and has spent nearly nine months in detention with bail repeatedly denied.
His current legal troubles followed a controversial transfer back to Uganda after an alleged covert arrest outside the country.
In awarding the prize, DUA praised Besigye’s resolve in pushing for accountability and rule of law, saying the recognition demonstrates that defending democratic freedoms should not be criminalised.
The organisation cited his long-held belief in an Uganda where citizens freely choose their leaders.
Besigye’s international recognition while detained in Kampala has renewed focus on Uganda’s human rights record, with activists arguing that his case reflects broader repression of political dissent.