Winnie Byanyima has come out guns blazing, calling for the immediate release of her husband, veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, exactly one year after his controversial arrest and detention.
Besigye and his aide Haji Obeid Lutale were picked up in Nairobi on 16th November 2024 before being transferred to Uganda, where they have since been held at Luzira Maximum Security Prison. Despite several bail attempts citing his age and prolonged detention, court has repeatedly refused to release him.
Speaking through her X (formerly Twitter) page, Byanyima blasted what she described as “endless injustice” and a judicial system “captured” by political influence.
She said Besigye’s situation is not isolated, pointing out the wider repression of activists and opposition voices in Uganda.
“What is happening to Besigye is not unique. Countless Ugandans, especially young activists, are detained without charge, tortured, or even killed. Our nation’s future is being brutalised into silence,” she stated.
Byanyima also directly appealed to President Museveni, accusing both the Head of State and the judiciary of keeping Besigye and Lutale behind bars for political reasons.
“I call on Gen. Museveni and the captured judiciary to free Besigye and Obeid Lutale. Their continued detention is a stain on our nation,” she added.
Besigye, one of Uganda’s most influential opposition figures, has been in and out of jail for over two decades as he challenged Museveni’s leadership. From treason charges, violent arrests during Walk-to-Work protests, to years of house arrest, his battles with the state are well-known.
Byanyima also reminded the nation of Besigye’s past sacrifices leaving his medical career in Nairobi to join the NRA in the 1980s, serving as Museveni’s personal doctor, and playing key roles in the early political structures of the NRM government.
Efforts to secure his bail have continuously failed, with the recent mandatory bail requests dismissed on technical grounds. His legal team accuses the State of deliberately delaying the case.
Byanyima warned that Uganda’s political repression is endangering the country’s future.
“Our nation’s soul is at stake. Uganda must reclaim its humanity. No amount of imprisonment can stop him from fighting for a free Uganda.”,she stated.
After one year behind bars with a stalled trial, Besigye’s political fate remains unclear but his supporters insist his spirit is unbroken.
