KAMPALA — Police have released Dr. Moses Mukose on bond after detaining him overnight following a visit to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye is receiving treatment under tight security.
Dr. Mukose, a medical doctor and a governor in the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), was arrested on Saturday after visiting the sixth floor of the hospital, where Besigye remains admitted in the intensive care unit after collapsing during his treason trial last week.
According to Dr. Mukose, he had gone to the ward to check on his father-in-law, who is admitted on the same floor as Besigye.
Speaking after his release, Mukose said security personnel intercepted him shortly after his visit and accused him of attempting to spy on officers guarding the opposition leader.
“They alleged that I had been sent by Ingrid Turinawe to spy on the security deployment,” he said, maintaining that he was simply visiting a relative receiving treatment at the hospital.
Police reportedly detained him at Mulago Police Station on allegations of disobeying lawful orders before releasing him on police bond on Sunday.
The detention sparked criticism from opposition figures and rights advocates, who questioned the basis of the arrest and argued that relatives and other legitimate visitors should be allowed reasonable access to patients admitted on the same hospital floor.
The incident comes amid heightened security at Mulago National Referral Hospital following Besigye’s admission to the intensive care unit after he collapsed in the dock during proceedings before the High Court on Wednesday. Besigye, who is facing treason charges, has remained under heavy guard since his hospitalization, with access to him reportedly restricted.
Opposition supporters have repeatedly raised concerns over the security arrangements surrounding Besigye’s treatment, while authorities have not publicly detailed the protocols governing access to the ward.
By Sunday, police had not issued a formal statement explaining the specific offence for which Dr. Mukose had been detained or the conditions attached to his police bond.
The episode has renewed debate over security measures at Uganda’s national referral hospital, with critics calling for clearer guidelines that balance the protection of high-profile patients with the rights of other patients, visitors and medical personnel sharing the same facilities.
Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and former personal physician to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has been in custody since late 2024. His ongoing prosecution and recent hospitalization have attracted widespread national and international attention, with supporters continuing to demand greater access to him and improved transparency regarding his medical care.