The wife of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has called on the Ugandan government to respect his constitutional rights, saying he remains in a weak condition after being admitted to the intensive care unit following his collapse during a court hearing.
Speaking outside Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Winnie Byanyima said her husband is conscious but is still too weak to speak or write.
“My first impression was shock. He looks very weak. He remained asleep for a long time. When he could open his eyes, he still cannot talk,” Byanyima told reporters.
She said Besigye has shown slight signs of improvement after being able to take soup, having previously been fed through intravenous lines.
“So today, there was a sense of progress,” she said.
Despite the improvement, Byanyima urged authorities to uphold Besigye’s right to life, proper medical treatment and a fair trial, arguing that these rights were being disregarded.
“I’m not asking for favours. I’m not asking anyone to bend the law. I’m simply asking that the Constitution of Uganda is respected and is applied fairly and equally to Dr. Kizza Besigye,” she said.
The 70-year-old opposition figure, who is facing treason charges, has been in detention since late 2024 after he was allegedly abducted in Kenya and taken back to Uganda.
Besigye collapsed during a court session on July 30, shortly after protesting the court’s decision to appoint lawyers to represent him. During the proceedings, his lead lawyer Erik Lukwago was arrested, while former Kenyan Justice Minister Martha Karua, a member of his legal team, was denied entry into Uganda.
A longtime political rival of President Yoweri Museveni, Besigye was once Museveni’s personal doctor during the 1980s bush war before the two fell out politically. He has since contested the presidency several times, with his campaigns frequently marked by arrests and allegations of political repression.
