Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and wife of detained former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, has publicly appealed for his release after he has spent over three months in detention without trial.
What you need to know:
- Her message marked 12 months since one of Uganda’s most frequently arrested political figures and his aide, Obeid Lutale, were seized in Nairobi on November 16, 2024.
- Dr Kizza Besigye’s wife and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Ms Winnie Byanyima, explains the pain the family has endured through her husband’s detention for a year now. #MonitorUpdates
In February, Dr. Besigye was formally charged in a civilian court following a Supreme Court ruling that blocked the prosecution of civilians in military courts. Since then, he has remained on remand for over three months.
Yesterday, the court denied mandatory bail to Dr. Besigye and his co-accused, despite them meeting all legal requirements. The court cited a lack of jurisdiction and advised the defense to instead apply for bail through the High Court.
Following the ruling, Byanyima expressed her disappointment: “I’m disappointed. I’ve just learned that my husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and his friend Haj Obeid Lutale have been denied bail once again. They’ve now been in prison for more than 180 days,” she said.
Byanyima criticized the government for frequently changing the charge sheet and failing to initiate trial proceedings. She noted that her husband and his co-accused are entitled to mandatory bail after 180 days of detention, a right she believes has been unjustly denied.
She made a direct appeal to President Yoweri Museveni: “I appeal to you, Mr. President, to do justice for my husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye, his friend Haj Obeid Lutale, and all other political prisoners who have been jailed for months or even years without trial, simply for holding opposing political views.”
“They are political dissidents. They should not be in prison. They should be free to peacefully express their independent views, as they always have. Thank you, Mr. President. We are asking for justice—nothing more,” she said.
According to the charge sheet, the accused were allegedly abducted last year in Nairobi after attending a book launch hosted by Kenyan opposition figure and lawyer Martha Karua.
Prosecutors claim that Besigye, Lutale, and their co-accused traveled to several countries including Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya where they allegedly took part in meetings aimed at plotting to overthrow the Ugandan government. They reportedly met various individuals, both physically and virtually, in Geneva, Athens, Nairobi, and Kampala in pursuit of this agenda.
Additionally, the prosecution alleges that between 2023 and November 2024, the accused failed to report knowledge of an impending act of treason to the relevant authorities, including a Minister, magistrate, administrative officer, or police officer, as required by law.
