Winnie Byanyima, the wife of Ugandan politician Dr. Kizza Besigye, has taken to Twitter to demand the unconditional release of her husband from military custody.
According to Byanyima, Besigye was kidnapped last Saturday while attending a book launch in Nairobi and is now being held in a military jail in Kampala.
“I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala.”
“I request the government of Uganda to release my husband, Dr Kizza Besigye, from where he is being held immediately,” she said.
“We, his family, and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?”
Byanyima’s plea comes as Dr. Besigye, a retired colonel and former presidential candidate, faces uncertain charges. The UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Felix Kuraigye, confirmed that Besigye will be arraigned before a military court in Makindye, Kampala, but the specific charges remain unknown.
This isn’t Besigye’s first run-in with the authorities. As a vocal opposition leader, he has been arrested multiple times, including in 2011, 2012, and 2016, and has faced various charges, including treason and rape. His political career has been marked by controversy and opposition to President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
Byanyima’s demand for Besigye’s release echoes concerns about the government’s treatment of opposition leaders and the rule of law in Uganda. As the situation unfolds, many will be watching to see how the government responds to Byanyima’s plea and what charges, if any, are brought against Besigye
