Kampala, Uganda — Veteran opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye is reportedly in a critical and deteriorating health condition, his political movement has said.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) said it had received “credible reports that the health of our leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye, has reached a critical and deteriorating state.” The group added that he was rushed overnight from Luzira Maximum Security Prison to a medical facility at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security.
“We have received credible reports that Besigye was rushed in the night from Luzira Prison to a medical facility at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security,” the PFF wrote, urging supporters to keep him in your prayers and to remain vigilant.
The movement accused authorities of denying Besigye proper medical care, calling it a “tragedy” that a man who has dedicated his life to others’ freedoms is being denied “his own right to medical dignity.” It demanded that his personal doctors and family be allowed immediate and unrestricted access to him.
Context: Who Is Kizza Besigye and Why Is He Detained?
Dr. Kizza Besigye is a prominent Ugandan physician and opposition leader who has been a leading critic of President Yoweri Museveni for decades. He has run for president four times and has been arrested many times throughout his political career.
The most recent and serious detention began in November 2024. Besigye was in Nairobi, Kenya, when he was reported missing on 16 November 2024 and later appeared in a military court in Kampala facing security-related charges, which he and his supporters describe as politically motivated.
He and an associate were initially charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. In early 2025, the military court added a treachery (treason-related) charge.
Rights groups and legal observers have strongly criticized the use of military courts to try civilians — including Besigye — and noted that Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled in January 2025 that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional.
Supporters say Besigye has suffered increasingly poor health in detention, including extended hunger strikes and visible frailty during court appearances. Calls for his release and for proper medical care have grown louder, involving civil society groups and international rights organizations.
The Arrest in Brief
- When: 16 November 2024 — Dr. Besigye disappeared in Nairobi and was later seen in Ugandan custody.
- Where: Abducted from Kenya and brought to Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala.
- Why: Charged initially with firearm-related offenses and later with treachery; his supporters say the charges are politically driven.
- Legal controversy: Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled that military courts have no jurisdiction over civilians — a decision that has complicated his case.
PFF said in its statement, “It is a tragedy that a man who has dedicated his life to the health and freedom of others is being denied his own right to medical dignity.” The group also reiterated that authorities are fully responsible for his safety and well-being.
