The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, says a joint opposition caucus meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday to deliberate on the worsening health state of detained former four-time presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Besigye, who remains incarcerated at Luzira Maximum Prison, has reportedly grown too frail to meet visitors, raising grave concerns among opposition leaders and the public alike.
Ssenyonyi made the revelation on Monday morning after an unsuccessful attempt to visit Besigye and other political prisoners whose trial in a military court was recently quashed by the Supreme Court.
“So tomorrow we are going to meet as the opposition caucus, joint opposition caucus, all opposition political parties, members of parliament, we are going to meet tomorrow morning to discuss this issue further because each time we raise it government tells us okay we are bringing a response,” he said
According to the LOP, while they were granted access to other inmates, prison authorities denied them entry to Besigye’s ward on the grounds that he was too weak to walk and meet them.
“This development is deeply troubling. Previously, when we visited him, he was at least able to come out and see us. But today, we were told he couldn’t even get out of bed. That tells you just how much his condition has deteriorated.” Ssenyonyi said
Besigye’s health concerns escalated on Sunday night when he was rushed to a clinic in Bugolobi for urgent medical tests after his condition reportedly worsened. He was later released around midnight and transported back to Luzira, a move that sparked widespread speculation about the severity of his health crisis. Public anxiety mounted as many feared that the opposition stalwart’s life could be in grave danger.
Ssenyonyi, visibly disturbed by the situation, reiterated the opposition’s commitment to pushing for urgent intervention.
“We have raised this matter severally in Parliament, but we must do more. Each time we bring it up, the government deflects, saying they are preparing a response, or the Speaker claims the matter is before court. But how long can we watch as someone’s health deteriorates in custody?” he questioned.
He further called upon all Ugandans to take action. “This is not just about Dr. Besigye or NUP political prisoners. This affects all of us. If we do nothing, any of us could be next. Everyone must play their part,” he urged.
Meanwhile, in a televised interview on Monday morning, Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, attempted to downplay the severity of Besigye’s condition, attributing his frailty to a hunger strike.
“He is weak because he has refused to eat. They were monitoring his potassium and sodium levels, but it’s not that his situation is critical. He’s not taking food, we are in what they call an electoral imbalance, we have to check potassium, sodium and so forth. So it wasn’t that he had got the worst, they were just going to call out team medical, team detainment.” Baryomunsi explained.
He further argued that the legal process needed to be expedited to resolve the matter.
“The court ruled that proceedings should be transferred from the military court to a civilian court. The delay in effecting that transfer is what needs to be addressed,” he said.
Baryomunsi also claimed that Besigye’s legal team had politicized the court ruling instead of following the due process to secure his freedom.
“After the Supreme Court ruling, the lawyers chose to engage in political grandstanding instead of focusing on the legal steps required for his release,” he stated.
Besigye last appeared in public looking pale and very frail during the mention of his incitement to violence case at the Buganda Road Court last week. His condition was attributed to ill health and a hunger strike by his lawyers Erias Lukwago, who alleged that his client has been consistently denied access to his personal physician, coupled with expired detention caused Besigye to go on a hunger strike.,
The prison’s spokesman Frank Baine was however quick to dismiss this as unfounded allegations , stating that the inmate has access to his personal doctors and food brought by three recommended family members.
