Kampala, Uganda: Dr. Kizza Besigye is being held in solitary confinement and denied interaction with fellow inmates, according to his wife, Eng. Winnie Byanyima, who says the former FDC president is facing “state-engineered” isolation and legal sabotage to prolong his detention.
Speaking out for the first time in weeks, Byanyima revealed that Besigye, who was arrested in November last year, is not permitted to mingle with other prisoners. Instead, he is escorted by two prison guards whenever he leaves his cell and is barred from speaking to anyone.
“Dr. Kizza Besigye isn’t allowed in the rest of the prison. When he steps out, two guards accompany him to make sure he doesn’t speak to anyone,” Byanyima said, appearing on a local TV show on Thursday morning. “He asked for bail, and the courts keep manipulating the process to keep holding him.”
Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and fierce critic of President Museveni, was arrested alongside his political aide, Hajj Obed Lutale, during his visit to Nairobi, Kenya’s Capital, and his bail applications have reportedly faced repeated delays and procedural hurdles.
Byanyima, who is also the Executive Director of UNAIDS, confirmed that Besigye recently undertook a hunger strike in protest of his detention conditions, but was advised by his lawyers to suspend it due to health risks.
Despite mounting efforts by his legal team, friends, and family to secure his release, the state has remained tight-lipped about his continued incarceration.
Dr. Besigye is among Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures and has faced repeated arrests and prosecutions over the years. Unlike other political prisoners who are occasionally released after public pressure or legal intervention, Besigye’s continued detention has raised serious concerns among human rights activists.
Close allies believe the prolonged isolation is a tactic by the regime to weaken Besigye’s influence both within the opposition and among the broader public. They remain hopeful, however, that legal remedies and public pressure will lead to his eventual release.
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