Ugandan Opposition Politician Allegedly Kidnapped and Jailed, Wife Claims

The wife of a prominent Ugandan opposition politician alleges her husband has been kidnapped and jailed amid rising political tensions. 

The wife of prominent Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye announced on Wednesday that he was abducted during a book launch in Kenya over the weekend and has since been moved to a military prison in Kampala.

The physician and politician has competed against incumbent President Yoweri Museveni in four presidential elections since 1986, but lost each time. He has disputed the outcomes of these polls, citing fraud and voter intimidation as reasons for his rejection.

In a post on X, Winnie Byanyima, Besigye’s wife and the executive director of UNAIDS, urged for his immediate release while stating that his family and lawyers were requesting access to see him.

She also wondered why he was in an army facility, noting that he wasn’t a soldier.

One of his lawyers has confirmed Besigye’s detention, stating that his client is scheduled to appear in a military court for an initial hearing later on Wednesday.

A group of his supporters and party officials assembled at Makindye barracks in Kampala, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

Besigye, previously arrested numerous times, served as Museveni’s personal doctor during the 1980s when Museveni was a rebel leader before becoming president.

Since then, he has emerged as a vocal critic of the president’s authoritarian rule and has encountered numerous legal battles due to his criticism of Museveni and his policies.

The government under Museveni has faced accusations of repeatedly violating human rights against opposition leaders and their supporters, which it has denied.