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Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was taken to the hospital after his health deteriorated following a hunger strike that began last week.
Besigye, 68, was transported in a prison ambulance to a private medical facility as his condition worsened, according to his lawyer, Erias Lukwago.
A longtime critic of President Yoweri Museveni, Besigye has been detained in a maximum-security prison in Kampala since November. His legal team claims he was forcibly taken from neighboring Kenya and returned to Uganda, where he faces charges in the military’s General Court Martial, including illegal possession of weapons.
Francis Mwijukye, a lawmaker allied with Besigye, stated on social media that he was brought to a clinic at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security. “He was being pushed in a wheelchair,” Mwijukye noted.
Local media confirmed the hospitalization, reporting that security remained tight around the facility. NTV Uganda quoted a family member who described his condition as “not good, the situation is bad.”
Ugandan Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi later announced that the government was expediting the transfer of Besigye’s case to civilian courts, effectively ending military prosecution. However, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, expressed skepticism over the move, calling it “highly suspicious.”
This development follows a recent ruling by Uganda’s Supreme Court, which declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.
Public outrage has been growing, with figures such as fellow opposition leader Bobi Wine and medical professionals calling for Besigye’s release and unrestricted medical access. The outcry intensified after Besigye appeared weak and frail in court on Friday, struggling to walk and even moisten his lips.
His legal team had previously warned about his deteriorating health, while the Ugandan Medical Association has now urged for his immediate release on medical grounds.
Besigye, who has frequently accused the government of political persecution, has been less active in politics in recent years and did not participate in the 2021 presidential election.
