Fresh concern has emerged over the health of veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye following reports that he was transferred overnight from Luzira Maximum Security Prison to a medical facility in Kampala amid claims that his condition has sharply deteriorated.
In a statement issued on January 20, 2026, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), the political formation linked to Besigye, said it had received “credible reports” that the four-time presidential candidate was moved late at night under heavy security to a health facility at Bugolobi Village Mall.
The party warned that Besigye’s health “has reached a critical and deteriorating state.”
PFF accused authorities of denying Besigye access to adequate medical care and demanded that his personal doctors and family be granted unrestricted access. “It is a tragedy that a man who has dedicated his life to the health and freedom of others is being denied his own right to medical dignity,” the statement read.
Besigye, a former personal physician to President Yoweri Museveni and one of his most vocal critics, has been in detention at Luzira since late 2024 on treason charges, which his supporters describe as politically motivated.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, also raised alarm, saying Besigye is experiencing severe stomach pain, high fever and dehydration, and has been blocked from seeing his personal medical team.
Opposition leaders and civil society figures quickly weighed in. National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, said Besigye’s condition was “very sad” and blamed the government for denying him proper care.
“We stand fully in solidarity with him and pray for his recovery,” Bobi Wine said, adding that the authorities “must never get away with all the suffering they have caused to our nation,” and ending his statement.
However, the Uganda Prisons Service rejected claims of a medical emergency. Spokesperson Frank Baine said Besigye’s hospital visit was part of a routine monthly medical check-up.
“He has since returned to Luzira Prison and is continuing with his normal daily activities,” Baine said, insisting that Besigye is in stable condition and under standard medical supervision.
The conflicting accounts have reignited debate over the treatment of political detainees in Uganda, with rights activists calling for an independent medical assessment and renewed demands for Besigye’s release on humanitarian grounds.
As Besigye prepares for an upcoming bail hearing, his health situation continues to attract intense national and international attention, further amplifying scrutiny of Uganda’s justice and detention systems.
