Drama is brewing at Luzira Prison as Dr. Kizza Besigye’s lawyers and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) pipeline party colleagues claim he has launched a hunger strike.
The opposition heavyweight reportedly refuses prison canteen food, only accepting meals brought by close friends or relatives over fears of poisoning.
Addressing the press at Katonga Road on Monday, Erias Lukwago, the acting President of the breakaway FDC faction and Besigye’s lawyer, revealed shocking details about the politician’s detention conditions.
Lukwago claimed Besigye is confined to a glass booth during visits, speaking to visitors only via phone, a setup Lukwago slammed as a violation of his basic rights. He argued that Besigye should interact freely with fellow inmates and join prayers like others.
However, the Uganda Prisons Service has hit back hard, dismissing the claims as baseless.
“These allegations are outrageous,” Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine fumed.
“Dr. Besigye, like all prisoners, is provided with quality meals as stipulated by the Prisons Act. We are experts in handling inmates, and we don’t need instructions from anyone ”he stated
Baine added that the rules strictly limit food from external sources, saying the standing orders only allow it under special circumstances.
“We bend the rules when necessary, but it doesn’t mean we are reckless. The law is clear,” he emphasized.
Besigye’s allies in the PFF are calling the situation a calculated move to silence the veteran opposition leader. They claim the strict conditions are politically motivated and intended to isolate him.
“This is not just about food. These actions are aimed at breaking his spirit and cutting him off from his support base,” a PFF member alleged.
The hunger strike has sparked widespread concern among Besigye’s supporters, who are rallying to demand an independent review of his prison conditions. They argue that denying him external food sources is a breach of his rights and fuels fears of foul play.
Dr Besigye is currently detained at Luzira Prison facing multiple charges. In November 2024, he was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Uganda, where military prosecutors charged him with illegal possession of firearms and undermining national security. These charges were brought before a military court.
On January 13, 2025, an additional charge of “treachery,” was added. This charge alleges that Besigye and his co-accused, Obeid Lutale, and another suspect Captain Omala possessed intelligence about a plot to undermine national security but withheld it from authorities.
