Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director and wife of detained Ugandan opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye, has issued an urgent public appeal following her husband’s transfer from Luzira Prison to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) Hospital.
Byanyima revealed that the 70-year-old politician was moved after dark in a severely weakened state, leaving him physically incapacitated and struggling with basic functions.
“He is still very weak,” Byanyima stated. “He struggles to walk, speak, write, or even hold anything steadily.”
Urgent Request for Medical Evacuation: Byanyima has formally requested that Ugandan authorities allow Dr. Besigye to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, where their family is based, to receive specialized medical treatment.
She criticized the continuation of legal proceedings while Besigye is physically unfit, stating, “Why force a trial on a man too ill to defend himself? He needs care, not cruelty. This is not justice. It is persecution.”
Addressing concerns over potential bail or leave, Byanyima emphasized that despite being arrested more than 50 times throughout his political career, Besigye has never fled from justice.
Dr. Besigye has been held in custody since November 2024 following his abduction from Nairobi, Kenya. His health has steadily deteriorated over recent months, marked by multiple hospital transfers, including a stay in an intensive care unit after collapsing during a treason trial in July.
While Byanyima and family caregivers report that Besigye requires full assistance for feeding and mobility, government representatives, including Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, have previously maintained that he is receiving adequate medical attention and recovering steadily under state supervision.
