Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye has been rushed to a hospital after his health deteriorated due to a hunger strike he began last week, according to an allied lawmaker and local media reports.
Besigye, a long-time critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has been in detention at a maximum-security facility in Kampala since November. His legal team alleges that he was abducted in neighboring Kenya, where he had traveled, and forcefully returned to Uganda to face charges before the General Court Martial (GCM), including illegal possession of firearms.
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Francis Mwijukye, a legislator allied with Besigye, disclosed on social media that the opposition leader was taken to a clinic at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security. “He was being pushed in a wheelchair,” Mwijukye stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) late on Sunday. Ugandan broadcaster NTV confirmed the development, reporting that the medical facility was under tight security and quoting a family member who described Besigye’s condition as critical.
The opposition leader’s health crisis has ignited public outrage, with many, including fellow opposition figure Bobi Wine and a medical doctors’ association, calling for his immediate release and unrestricted access to medical care. Anger escalated after Besigye’s frail appearance in court on Friday, where he struggled to walk and could barely moisten his lips with his tongue. His lawyers warned last week that his health was rapidly deteriorating in detention.
In response to growing pressure, Uganda’s Information Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, announced on Sunday that the government was expediting the transfer of Besigye’s case from the military tribunal to a civilian court. This move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling declaring the prosecution of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.
The case has further fueled tensions in Uganda’s political landscape, with opposition figures and human rights activists condemning what they perceive as government repression. As concerns over Besigye’s health intensify, demands for his release and medical treatment continue to mount, putting additional pressure on authorities to act swiftly.