Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and long-time critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s government, has been in custody amid heightened political tension following Uganda’s disputed elections and an ongoing crackdown on opposition figures. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, who also serves as the Executive Director of UNAIDS, said she was deeply worried after recent attempts to see him were either restricted or denied.
In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, Byanyima said Besigye was visibly weak the last time she spoke to him and complained of severe fatigue and untreated medical issues. She accused authorities of deliberately neglecting his health and called for his immediate access to independent doctors.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the party Besigye helped found, echoed those concerns, saying the opposition leader has been subjected to harsh detention conditions that have taken a toll on his wellbeing. Party officials warned that continued detention without proper medical care could have life-threatening consequences.
Other opposition leaders, including National Unity Platform figures allied to Bobi Wine, have also spoken out, describing Besigye’s situation as part of a broader pattern of repression targeting government critics. They urged regional and international bodies to intervene, arguing that Uganda risks sliding further into authoritarianism if such cases are ignored.
The Uganda Prisons Service has previously maintained that all detainees receive adequate medical care, though rights groups have repeatedly disputed those claims. Besigye’s case has drawn renewed attention as Uganda faces growing international scrutiny over human rights abuses, arrests of opposition figures, and restrictions on political freedoms.
As pressure mounts, Besigye’s supporters say his health should not become another casualty of Uganda’s political standoff, warning that the country is approaching a dangerous line.
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