Concern Grows Over Besigye’s Health In Prolonged Detention
Besigye remains in detention at Luzira Maximum Security Prison.
By Our Correspondent
Senior Counsel Martha Karua has raised fresh concerns over the health of Ugandan opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye.
The opposition figure was allegedly abducted on November 16, 2024 Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in Hurlingham in Nairobi.
After being unreachable for several days, Besigye re-emerged on 20 November 2024, at the Makindye General Court Martial in Kampala, Uganda.
Karua said she appeared before Justice Dr Emmanuel Baguma in Kampala as Besigye’s legal representative.
She described his physical condition as worrying, saying his health had visibly deteriorated during detention.
“It has been 465 days since Dr Besigye was abducted …. it was disheartening to see how his health is deteriorating,” she stated in a Facebook post.
The case continues to draw scrutiny from civil society groups monitoring political freedoms in the region.
She said she also met Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, after the court session.
Karua described Byanyima’s resilience as remarkable, but said the toll of the prolonged detention was evident.
Besigye has repeatedly clashed with President Yoweri Museveni’s administration over governance and electoral reforms.
He has faced multiple arrests over the years, often linked to protests and contested election outcomes.
His reported abduction in Nairobi in 2024 sparked concern among regional rights groups and political leaders.
Questions were raised over cross-border security operations and the safety of political dissidents within East Africa.
Karua said the case reflects broader challenges facing democratic movements across the continent.
“The struggle for democratic spaces anywhere on this continent is a collective responsibility,” Karua said.
She vowed that she would continue to do my part to fight for people’s rights in Kenya and beyond as Besigye remains in detention at Luzira Maximum Security Prison.
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