- Winnie Byanyima has made a request for a statement to President Yoweri Museveni to release her husband, opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who has been detained without a trial
- Byanyima condemned to continue to be detained as a violation of Uganda’s constitutional right of bail after 180 days, saying it was torture and not justice
- He criticized the government for amending the indictment on a regular basis, emphasizing that Besigye and fellow accused, Hajj Obeid Lutaale, are punished for political opposition
- Byanyima, an experienced diplomat and UNAIDS CEO, said his request was not bias but justice
Winnie Byanyima has made a sincere request to President Yoweri Museveni to release her husband, opposition leader Kizza Besigye, from prison.
Source: Getty Images
Besigye, 68, has now stayed for more than six months in Luzira’s high security prison on charges of treason without prosecution.
In a heavy video message sent to her X account, Byanyima described the continued closure of her husband as torture, not fair, and asked Museveni to comply with the rule of law.
His request broke the silence he had long after, exposing personal pain behind what many call it politically motivated.
“I am saddened. I have found that my husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye and his friend, Hajj Obeid Lutaale, have been denied bail again. They have been in prison for over 180 days. The government has continued to change the indictment and has failed to transfer the case and start listening to them,” He said.
At one point as a close ally in the forest war that introduced the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in power in 1986, Besigye in the last two decades has faced an arrest in protest against Museveni.
How does Uganda violate Besigye rights
The deprivation of bail came despite the constitutional requirement that any suspect who was detained without a case for more than 180 days has the right to be released.
Source: Getty Images
Byanyima he accused the government of using legal crafts and delays as a tool of bullying, continuing to hold her husband.
“They have a mandatory bail right after staying in prison for 180 days, but it has been denied. He said.
Wearing a gentle voice, Byanyima emphasized that he did not ask for special privileges, but justice.
“They are political opponents. They should not be in prison. They should be out giving their free views as peace as they were. Thank you, Mr. President. It is the right we are asking for, nothing else,” He concluded.
Why did Museveni refuse to release Besigye
Earlier, Museveni dismissed the call for the release of the opposition leader, who had been banned since November 2024 and was on a dining strike.
Museveni criticized the strike as “unconstitutional,” claiming that Besigye should seek a quick case to prove innocence rather than use his health to find compassion.
He added that the government is ready to provide medical care if necessary, but emphasized that legal procedures must continue.
Besigye faces serious charges, and Museveni maintains that the best way is to deal with it through the judicial system.
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