Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye appears frail in court

Kizza Besigye, a prominent Ugandan opposition leader, appeared in court on Friday looking weak, according to his supporters, after one of his lawyers described him as "critically ill."

At 68, Besigye has been a significant challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who has held power for nearly 40 years, and has unsuccessfully contested four elections against him.

Currently on trial for "threatening national security," Besigye began a hunger strike on February 10 to protest his detention, as stated by his lawyer Erias Lukwago.

Lukwago mentioned on Thursday that Besigye was too unwell to leave his cell, yet he made an appearance in a civilian court on Friday for a different case.

Doreen Kyanjura, deputy mayor of Kampala and a member of Besigye's PFF party, expressed her distress, saying, "He was in a sorry state. He appeared very weak, frail, and at one point gasped for breath, which made us break into tears."

Besigye was present with his political ally Samuel Lubega Mukaaku, facing charges of inciting violence during a protest against rising commodity prices in 2022.

He missed a court session on Tuesday, sending a handwritten note citing illness.

Lukwago warned AFP, "If he is not released from detention, he will die."

Uganda prisons spokesman Frank Baine acknowledged Besigye's poor health but assured that his medical condition is being managed by their medical team, stating there is "no cause for alarm."

Besigye was abducted in Kenya in November and is facing treason charges that could lead to the death penalty in a court martial, which his wife, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima, has condemned as a "sham."

The UN and various human rights organizations have raised concerns about the repression of political opposition in Uganda ahead of the 2026 presidential elections, with Amnesty International labeling Besigye's situation a "travesty of justice."