Veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was reportedly abducted during a book launch in Kenya over the weekend, transferred to Uganda, and is now being held at a military jail in Kampala, his wife Winnie Byanyima said on Wednesday.
Besigye, a four-time presidential challenger to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has consistently contested election results citing fraud and voter intimidation. He has faced numerous arrests over the years.
Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, demanded her husband’s immediate release, stating, “We his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” She revealed on social media that Besigye was abducted during the launch of a book by Kenyan opposition politician Martha Karua and believes he is currently detained at Kampala’s Makindye military barracks.
Official Responses
Ugandan police have denied holding Besigye, while the military and Kenyan authorities have yet to comment. Spokespeople for UNAIDS and Kenya’s police did not respond to inquiries.
Prominent Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine criticized Kenya, once seen as a refuge for dissidents, stating, “It is very, very shocking that Kenya is now increasingly becoming an operational zone for the dictatorship.”
In July, Kenyan authorities arrested and deported 36 members of Besigye’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, who were later charged with terrorism-related offenses in Uganda.
Supporters Demand Action
On Wednesday, Besigye’s supporters gathered at Makindye barracks, expecting his appearance before a military court. Ugandan authorities have faced repeated accusations of human rights violations, including illegal detentions and torture of opposition figures. The government denies these allegations, claiming all detainees are processed through proper legal channels.
Broader Context
This incident comes amidst growing concerns over human rights in the region. In October, Kenya extradited four Turkish refugees to Turkey, despite warnings from Amnesty International about potential persecution. Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka decried the increasing number of forced disappearances, saying, “The disappearances of both nationals and foreigners in our country is cause for great alarm.”
Besigye’s detention highlights the ongoing tension between dissidents and Museveni’s administration, raising regional concerns over the treatment of political opposition.
