Ugandan Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye Unconscious After Courtroom Collapse
In a dramatic turn of events during a courtroom session, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been hospitalized and is currently unconscious. The incident occurred while he was protesting against the ongoing treason trial, which has seen repeated denials of bail. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, and several others are calling for his release.
Besigye’s collapse came on Wednesday as he objected to the trial proceeding without his preferred legal representation. His main lawyer, Erias Lukwago, had been detained and charged with allegedly failing to report acts of treason. Before losing consciousness, Besigye reportedly exclaimed that he was being harmed.
Byanyima, who serves as UNAIDS Executive Director, took to X to inform the public that Besigye is in the intensive care unit at a public hospital in Kampala. Ingrid Turinawe, a close associate of Besigye, expressed frustration at being denied access to see him at Mulago Hospital, though his personal doctor eventually managed to visit him hours after the incident.
The Ugandan prison system’s spokesperson has not commented on the situation.
The treason case against Besigye has sparked controversy, with allegations of political motivation. President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, have both publicly criticized Besigye. Kainerugaba claimed that Besigye conspired to assassinate Museveni, labeling him “a dead man walking.” Museveni has also stated that Besigye must face legal consequences for the alleged serious offenses.
Prosecutors are preparing to present evidence they claim will demonstrate Besigye’s involvement in a plot to topple the government. However, Besigye’s political party maintains that the charges are fabricated and politically driven.
Having last run for president in 2016, Besigye has since dismissed elections as futile endeavors under Museveni’s authoritarian rule. In 2024, he disappeared in Nairobi but later appeared before a military tribunal in Kampala, facing charges of threatening national security. These charges were subsequently transferred to a civilian court and changed to treason, a charge that carries the death penalty.
Besigye’s relationship with Museveni dates back to the guerrilla warfare days that brought Museveni to power in 1986, during which Besigye served as his personal doctor and military aide. Over time, Besigye became a vocal critic of Museveni, denouncing the erosion of democratic principles he had once supported. Presidential term limits have since been abolished.
Museveni, re-elected in January in a contentious election, is now serving his seventh term. His main opponent in that election, Bobi Wine, has gone into exile citing safety concerns.
