Inside Kizza Besigye’s Medical Battle and Detention Controversies

Veteran Ugandan opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye continues to face intense health and legal battles following his dramatic collapse at the High Court in Kampala on July 29, 2026. The incident occurred during a tense confrontation with Justice Emmanuel Baguma over Besigye’s right to legal representation, leading to a physical struggle with prison warders before he lost consciousness.

Initially, authorities and state supporters viewed the collapse with skepticism, suggesting it was a tactic to delay proceedings or court public sympathy. However, the severity of his condition soon became apparent. After being rushed to Luzira Prison, prison health services realized they could not manage his condition, and he was transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where he remained unconscious for three days.

When Besigye regained consciousness, his health had severely deteriorated. Family members, associates, and political allies, including his wife Winnie Byanyima and former Kampala deputy lord mayor Doreen Nyanjura, revealed that the politician struggled with basic motor and cognitive functions. Reports indicated he required speech therapy and assistance to relearn how to walk and speak, utilizing letter charts to communicate.

Despite his frail condition, Besigye was later transferred back to Luzira Prison Hospital before being moved again to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) along Entebbe Road alongside former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. Family and associates have raised concerns regarding his treatment controls, noting heavy security from military personnel and tight restrictions on visits from personal doctors and relatives. While the Uganda Prisons Service maintains that both politicians are stable, questions linger regarding whether external military channels are dictating access and medical oversight.

Meanwhile, controversies have also emerged surrounding potential release negotiations. While Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba stated that President Yoweri Museveni authorized Gen Salim Saleh to lead release efforts, Besigye’s party and family have denied any such talks, asserting that Besigye refuses to negotiate because he maintains his innocence. Besigye, along with Haji Obeid Lutale, was originally seized in Nairobi in November 2024 before being brought to Uganda to face treason charges, which they both deny. Read the full story on The Observer.