Byanyima protests Besigye return to prison

By Our reporter

KAMPALA – Jailed opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye was returned to Luzira Prison on Friday August 8^th 2026 evening after receiving treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital. However, his is wife Winnie Byanyima saying he remained too weak to walk or feed himself, while Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi said earlier in the day that he was “steadily recuperating.”

Baryomunsi, who visited Besigye at Mulago on Friday morning, said the veteran opposition politician was recovering under the care of medical workers.

“I paid a visit to Dr. Kiiza Besigye today morning at Mulago Hospital, where he is hospitalised. He is steadily recuperating and I wished him quick recovery,” Baryomunsi said. “I thank the team of medical workers that are attending to him.”

Byanyima, however, said Besigye still required significant assistance when prison authorities transferred him back to Luzira shortly after 7 p.m.

She said that when she left him at about 4:30 p.m., he was unable to walk without assistance, struggled to speak and could not feed himself.

“After 7pm tonight, my partner Kizza Besigye was bundled up and taken back to Luzira Prison,” Byanyima said. “They did not even allow him to eat it.”

She said family members had been assisting Besigye during his admission, including helping him eat.

“His family has been helping to feed and care for him at Mulago because he remains weak and dependent on assistance,” she said.

Neither Mulago National Referral Hospital nor the Uganda Prisons Service had issued a detailed public medical assessment explaining Besigye’s condition at the time he was returned to prison.

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Byanyima said the transfer also surprised the family because doctors, Besigye’s personal physician and a prisons official had discussed a rehabilitation programme for him a day earlier.

According to her, the prisons official acknowledged during the meeting that Luzira could not provide the support Besigye required in his condition and recommended that he remain at Mulago while recovering.

“The prisons official acknowledged that Luzira could not support KB in his present condition and recommended that he remain at Mulago while he rehabilitated and recovered,” she said.

Byanyima also questioned the timing of the transfer, which occurred several hours after Baryomunsi’s visit.

She suggested the decision had changed following the minister’s visit and asked who had authorised Besigye’s return to prison.

Besigye, 70, was admitted to Mulago after collapsing in the dock at the High Court on July 29 during his treason trial.

The High Court later ordered the Uganda Prisons Service to submit a medical report after authorities informed Justice Emmanuel Baguma that Besigye was too unwell to attend the continuation of proceedings.

Besigye is jointly charged with Hajj Obeid Lutale and Capt. Denis Oola with treason-related offences. They deny the charges.

In a related development, a day of the new developments, the Commissioner General of Prisons, Johnson Byabashaija, assured legislators that inmates requiring specialised care that the prisons service cannot provide, are allowed access to their personal doctors.

Appearing before the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs on Thursday, 06 August 2026, chaired by Hon. Robina Rwakoojo, Byabashaija was responding to concerns raised by MPs.

The concerns included the health and medical treatment of high-profile remand prisoners, including veteran Opposition politician, Dr Kizza Besigye and former Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago.

Kampala District Woman MP, Hon. Shamim Malende sought answers on the access to medical services by Besigye.

“How is Uganda Prisons service dealing with the issue of health complications that prisoners encounter. Some prisoners enter prison when they are on strong medication and they have personal doctors that they usually have access to, but I see when they are in prison, they only access medication in prison which is not adequate,” she said.

Hon. Joseph Ssewungu (NUP, Kalungu West) said: “Erias Lukwago has strong medical reports from Mulago National Referral Hospital and they have given very pertinent observations about his health, but maybe what you are informing the Judiciary is not matching with what is coming from the hospital.”

However, Byabashaija said that prisoners have access to their own physicians and have been going to the facilities of their choice.

“A person who is not yet convicted can have access to his personal physician. We can even take you to facilities of your choice. We have been taking one of these inmates for specialised tests at his doctor’s clinic,” he said.

He added that the prison is flexible in ensuring prisoners are in good health and they rely on the doctor’s recommendations.

“If we cannot handle your condition, the doctors determine where you should be referred. We can take you to Mulago or any other appropriate health facility,” he said.

Byabashaija also raised concern over prison congestion which he says is being driven largely by prolonged delays in the criminal justice system, with some inmates spending as long as 12 years awaiting trial.

He said prisons continue to receive inmates committed for trial by the High Court but with no timeline for when their cases will be heard.

Byabashaija (L), the Inspector General of Police, Abbas Byakagaba, and Hon. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Minister of Internal Affairs before the committee 

“When somebody is committed to the High Court for trial, the Director of Public Prosecutions has already examined the file and decided the case should proceed to trial. Nothing happens after that. We have to wait for the court to call the person,” he said.

He added that, “the person who has waited the longest in our custody has been there for 12 years waiting for his trial to be fixed. Is that justice?”

The Commissioner General said the Uganda Prisons Service regularly notifies both the Judiciary and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions about inmates who have overstayed on remand through quarterly submissions known as Prison Form 30.

He also called for greater use of non-custodial measures for offenders who do not pose a threat to society.

“We should not have people charged with small land matters in prison. Prison should be reserved for people who are a danger to the security of the population,” he said.

Responding to concerns about inmates suffering from mental illness, Byabashaija said prisons often receive suspects who have never undergone psychiatric assessment before appearing in court.

He said Uganda Prisons Service has established a special ward for mentally ill inmates within the prison system and receives psychiatric support from Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital.

To provide better care, he says the service is finalising plans to construct a specialised mental health facility for prisoners at Butabika Hospital.

Relatedly, Byabashaija revealed that the proposed relocation of Luzira Maximum Security Prison remains a concept as they are yet to secure an investor with the capacity to undertake the project.