Anniversary of Abduction Sparks Renewed Outcry

NAIROBI, KENYA – One year after Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye was allegedly abducted from Nairobi, his wife, Winnie Byanyima, has issued a powerful call for his immediate release, condemning his prolonged detention as an “endless injustice.” On Sunday, November 16, 2025, Byanyima stated that the case against her husband has seen no progress, accusing the Ugandan government of leveraging a “captured” justice system to silence dissent.

Dr. Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and President Yoweri Museveni's most persistent rival, was taken from Nairobi on November 16, 2024. He had been in the city to attend the book launch of Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua. Four days later, on November 20, 2024, he resurfaced in a military court in Kampala alongside his aide, Hajj Obeid Lutale. Both were charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, with Besigye later facing an additional, more severe charge of treachery. They have been held at Luzira Maximum Security Prison ever since.

The Kenyan Connection and Regional Implications

Dr. Besigye’s apprehension in Nairobi has cast a harsh spotlight on Kenya's role in what human rights organizations have termed a case of transnational repression. Amnesty International expressed deep disturbance over the “abduction of Dr. Besigye as well as the lack of an extradition process from Kenya,” in a statement released in November 2024. The incident has raised significant concerns among activists and legal experts about the safety of political dissidents within the East African Community and whether proper legal and extradition protocols were followed.

The Ugandan Parliament has previously demanded an explanation from its government regarding the cross-border operation. Questions about the legality of the arrest and whether it respected Kenya's sovereignty have been raised by Ugandan legislators, though a comprehensive official explanation remains elusive. The Kenyan government has denied involvement in the operation.

A Stalled Legal Battle and Failing Health

Over the past year, Dr. Besigye's legal team has faced a series of judicial roadblocks. Multiple bail applications have been denied by Ugandan courts, citing the seriousness of the charges and the potential for interference with investigations. In January 2025, a military court ruled that Besigye, a civilian, could be tried for treachery. This is despite a 2006 Ugandan Constitutional Court ruling that military courts do not have jurisdiction over civilians in such cases.

Byanyima, who is also the Executive Director of UNAIDS, has repeatedly voiced grave concerns about her husband's deteriorating health. In February 2025, she reported that he was undertaking a hunger strike to protest his detention and described his condition as frail and sickly during a court appearance. His lawyer, Martha Karua, also raised concerns in September 2025, stating that Besigye was experiencing bouts of dizziness and that his health had been compromised by the lengthy incarceration.

A History of Political Confrontation

The detention is the latest chapter in a decades-long political confrontation between Dr. Besigye and President Museveni. A former personal physician to Museveni during their bush war years, Besigye broke ranks in the late 1990s to become his most formidable political opponent. His political career has been marked by numerous arrests, violent confrontations with security forces, and trials that his supporters consistently describe as politically motivated.

In her anniversary statement, Byanyima framed her husband’s plight as symptomatic of a broader crackdown on human rights in Uganda. “What is happening to Kizza Besigye is not unique. It is the fate of countless Ugandans, especially young activists, who disappear, are detained without charge, tortured, or even killed,” she stated. She directly appealed to President Museveni and the judiciary to release her husband and his aide, asserting that their continued detention is a “stain on our nation.”