Ugandan Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye Collapses During Treason Trial
In a dramatic courtroom scene in Kampala, Uganda, opposition leader Kizza Besigye, currently facing treason charges, collapsed during his trial on Wednesday. The 69-year-old has been held without bail for several months, and his health has been a major point of concern for his supporters.
As the proceedings were underway, Besigye reportedly shouted “stop” multiple times before falling backward, prompting a delay in the trial as prison guards rushed to assist him. Despite being a four-time presidential hopeful, Besigye has been consistently denied bail. His legal team, including his chief lawyer Erias Lukwago, who also faces charges related to treason, has been advocating for his release on health grounds.
Recent developments in the case have seen prosecutors presenting evidence they claim supports allegations that Besigye was involved in a plot to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni. Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, who serves as the UNAIDS Executive Director, has been vocal about her husband’s failing health and has sought to draw international attention to his plight.
Supporters argue that Besigye should be allowed access to a doctor of his own choosing, rather than relying on government-appointed medical staff at the high-security prison where he is detained. “No prison doctors are present (in) court,” stated his People’s Front for Freedom party, emphasizing the urgency of his health situation.
Besigye has been a prominent figure in Ugandan politics, having last run for the presidency in 2016. Post-election, he criticized the electoral process as futile under an authoritarian regime heavily reliant on military backing. Besigye’s challenges with the Ugandan government escalated in November 2024 when he disappeared in Nairobi, Kenya, only to resurface in a military court in Kampala, facing charges that were later reclassified as treason, a crime carrying the death penalty.
President Museveni has insisted on a swift trial to address what he describes as “very serious offenses” that Besigye is accused of orchestrating. His son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief, has accused Besigye of conspiring to assassinate Museveni, labeling him “a dead man walking.”
Besigye’s relationship with Museveni dates back to their days as allies during the guerrilla warfare that brought Museveni to power in 1986, where Besigye served as his personal doctor and military aide. However, their alliance turned sour as Besigye became a staunch critic of Museveni’s increasingly authoritarian rule, particularly after the removal of presidential term and age limits.
Museveni, who secured his latest election victory amid controversy in January, is now in his seventh consecutive term. His main political rival in that election, Bobi Wine, has since fled the country, citing threats to his safety.
