On the first anniversary of the abduction and continued detention of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, his spouse and UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, issued a forceful appeal for his immediate release, denouncing what she called “endless injustice” and a justice system “captured” by political interference.
Besigye and his aide, Haji Obeid Lutale, have been held at Luzira Maximum Security Prison since their arrest in Nairobi on 16th November 2024 and transfer to Kampala. Despite multiple bail applications citing Besigye’s age and prolonged pre-trial detention, courts have repeatedly denied their release.
Byanyima highlighted the political nature of the detention, framing it as a response to Besigye’s decades-long challenge to President Yoweri Museveni. In posts on her X (formerly Twitter) account, she decried Uganda’s broader pattern of repressing dissent, stating:
“What is happening to Besigye is not unique. It is the fate of countless Ugandans, especially young activists, who disappear, are detained without charge, tortured, or even killed. Our nation's future is being brutalised into silence.”
She accused the judiciary of being “captured” and directly appealed to President Museveni:
“I call on Gen. Museveni and the captured judiciary to free Besigye and Obeid Lutale. Their continued detention is a stain on our nation.”
Besigye, widely regarded as Uganda’s most prominent opposition figure, has a long history of confrontation with the state. Arrested multiple times since 2001 for political challenges, he has faced treason and rape charges, violent arrests during the 2011 Walk-to-Work protests, and house arrest during the 2016 elections. Despite stepping back from direct presidential bids after 2016, he has remained a key opposition figure.
Byanyima also highlighted Besigye’s liberation-era service, including his decision to leave a medical career in Nairobi to join the National Resistance Army (NRA) in the 1980s, serving as one of only two doctors in the bush war and as Museveni’s personal physician during key battles. She praised his contributions to democracy, human rights, and social justice as National Political Commissar and member of both the National Resistance Council and Constituent Assembly.
Efforts to secure bail have faced repeated setbacks. In April 2025, High Court Justice Rosette Comfort Kania denied their first formal bail application, citing risks to ongoing investigations. Subsequent mandatory bail requests were dismissed on procedural and jurisdictional grounds. The defence maintains the State has delayed proceedings and mishandled the case.
Byanyima warned that Uganda’s political climate of fear and repression threatens the nation’s future:
“Our nation’s soul is at stake. Uganda must reclaim its humanity. No amount of imprisonment or persecution can make him abandon the struggle for a free Uganda.”
After a year in maximum-security detention with a stalled trial, Besigye’s political future remains uncertain, but his supporters insist his resolve is unwavering.