When Winnie Byanyima walked into the Intensive Care Unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Monday, she found a man she scarcely recognized. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s four-time presidential challenger and one of the country’s longest-serving opposition figures, lay unconscious in a hospital bed under tight security.
For Byanyima, it was a painful moment that underscored months of growing concern about her husband’s health and treatment while in state custody. “This is not the man I left,” she later said, struggling to hold back tears after the visit. Besigye’s admission to the ICU followed his dramatic collapse in the High Court on July 29, 2026, during proceedings in his treason trial.
According to those present, the 70-year-old politician had strongly objected to being represented by lawyers assigned by the court after members of his preferred legal team were unavailable. Witnesses said he became increasingly distressed as he protested what he described as an unlawful trial. Moments before collapsing, Besigye reportedly cried out that he was being hurt before losing consciousness in the courtroom.
Security officers rushed him first to Mbuya Military Hospital before transferring him under heavy guard to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The public first learned about the seriousness of his condition through a statement issued by Byanyima, who is also the Executive Director of UNAIDS.
She said Besigye was unconscious, unable to speak and unresponsive even to painful stimuli. She also expressed concern about his treatment, saying the family wanted him transferred to a facility where he could be attended to by doctors they trusted. Among those seeking access to Besigye was his sister, trauma surgeon Dr. Olive Kobusingye, who, according to the family, was initially denied access before eventually being allowed into the ICU, which remained under heavy security.
In her statement, Byanyima argued that the matter was larger than her husband’s illness, saying every Ugandan deserves timely medical care and the protection of constitutional rights regardless of political affiliation. She maintained that if Besigye’s rights could be ignored, then the rights of ordinary Ugandans were equally vulnerable. Opposition leader Bobi Wine echoed similar concerns, saying Besigye and his co-accused were simply asking for a fair hearing before an impartial court.
Besigye has been in custody since November 2024 after he and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale were arrested in Nairobi and returned to Uganda to face treason charges. His detention has been accompanied by repeated concerns over his health. In January, Byanyima publicly accused prison authorities of failing to provide adequate medical care, describing him as extremely weak. In February, he was hospitalized following a hunger strike protesting his detention, while in April she again raised concerns about his deteriorating health. His latest hospitalization has intensified scrutiny of his treatment while in custody.
Supporters have questioned the circumstances surrounding his collapse, although allegations circulating on social media about what may have caused it have not been independently verified. What is documented is that shortly before collapsing, Besigye had urged the court to first determine an application challenging the appointment of state-funded lawyers, arguing that it concerned his constitutional right to legal representation. The case has since taken another turn.
On Tuesday, High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma directed the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, to work with Mulago National Referral Hospital to obtain a comprehensive medical report indicating whether Besigye is fit to stand trial before proceedings resume. The judge adjourned the case to August 18, saying the court would rely on the medical assessment to determine whether Besigye can participate in his defence.
Besigye, Lutale and Captain Denis Oola deny treason charges arising from allegations that they plotted to overthrow the government through meetings held in Uganda and abroad. The prosecution alleges the accused sought funding, weapons and military training to advance the alleged plot, claims they have consistently denied.
For Byanyima and Besigye’s supporters, however, the immediate concern is no longer the courtroom but the hospital ward, where one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures remains under treatment as questions over his health, rights and the fairness of the ongoing proceedings continue to dominate public debate-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
