Winnie Byanyima, the wife of Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, has expressed deep concern over her husband’s rapidly declining health. Dr. Besigye has been on a hunger strike for seven days to protest his prolonged detention without trial.
International pressure for his release is mounting. The Commonwealth Secretary-General condemned the continued imprisonment of Dr. Besigye and other political prisoners in Uganda.
From their home in Kasangati, Byanyima shared details about her husband’s condition. She described a recent visit to the prison. “He can no longer walk,” she said. “He spends most of his time lying down.” Tests revealed signs of kidney damage, despite other results being normal.
Byanyima accused President Yoweri Museveni and the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) of worsening Besigye’s health. “Why hold someone illegally when their health is deteriorating?” she asked. “You are killing him every day he remains in prison.”
President Museveni dismissed Besigye’s hunger strike as blackmail. Byanyima criticized this view, calling it “callous” and “cruel.” She explained that the hunger strike is Besigye’s only way to protest against oppression. “His body is the last tool he has to resist,” she said.
Despite the pressure, Byanyima insists her husband is not afraid of a civilian court trial. She affirmed his innocence. “He will never beg for mercy or reconciliation,” she stated. “He believes his detention is illegal.”
The international community continues to call for Besigye’s release. Human rights organizations demand an end to his prolonged detention. As calls grow louder, the question remains: Will President Museveni and the Ugandan government act?
