Uganda's Kizza Besigye back in hospital, wife says

Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been readmitted to hospital while being tried on suspicion of treason, his wife Winnie Byanyima said late on Friday.

Byanyima said on X that Besigye was moved from prison to hospital after dark on Friday. She said he was still very weak and struggled to walk, speak, write or hold things steadily.

Besigye, 70, is a former personal physician to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. He moved into opposition politics more than 25 years ago.

He was seized in November 2024 during a trip to Kenya and returned to Uganda, where he was brought before a military court and accused of plotting against Museveni. The case has since been transferred to a civilian court.

Besigye has now been taken to hospital four times since he was taken into custody. At the end of July, he fainted during a court hearing and was treated in intensive care. Byanyima said he returned to prison on August 8 against medical advice.

Byanyima, who is executive director of UNAIDS, accused the authorities of persecuting him. She also claimed last year that there was a presidential plot to kill Besigye.

AFP reported that Uganda has seen growing political repression in recent months, with the army, led by Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, having arrested opposition figures and lawyers.