Winnie Byanyima Denies Negotiations for Kizza Besigye's Release

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS and wife of prominent Ugandan opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, has strongly refuted media reports suggesting that negotiations are underway for her husband’s release. These reports indicated the formation of a committee, reportedly coordinated by Gen. Salim Saleh, to facilitate such discussions.

However, Byanyima took to her X platform on October 5, 2026, to unequivocally state, “There are no negotiations for Kizza Besigye’s release. His health and his rights are not matters for negotiation.” She asserted that her primary focus remains on Dr. Besigye’s well-being, his right to bail, and access to adequate medical care.

Byanyima also voiced grave concerns regarding Dr. Besigye’s health and the conditions of his trial. She stated that he remains weak and is recovering from illness, yet the court proceedings are advancing without him having his chosen legal representation. She criticized the court for proceeding with the trial despite a medical report deeming him unfit to stand, and alleged that Justice Emmanuel Baguma is continuing the hearing in Dr. Besigye’s absence, relying on testimony from what she termed a “discredited paid mercenary.”

Her firm statement comes as the treason trial against Dr. Besigye and his co-accused progresses in the High Court in Kampala. On Tuesday, the second prosecution witness, Mr. Medadi Ssentanda, a language expert from Makerere University, faced challenges in authenticating transcripts derived from audio recordings. These recordings are central to the prosecution’s case, which alleges they contain discussions about overthrowing the Ugandan government from meetings held in Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi.

Mr. Ssentanda testified that some parts of the audio were inaudible, leading to incomplete transcriptions. He also noted the absence of precise time stamps in the transcripts, complicating the court’s ability to link specific statements to the audio. Despite these difficulties, Justice Baguma admitted the transcription report as evidence, stating that its weight would be determined later in the trial.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)