Besigye Collapses During Uganda Treason Trial

Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye collapsed during a court session in Kampala on Wednesday while standing trial on treason charges, according to a senior official in his political party.

Besigye, 70, has been in detention since November 2024 after he and his aide, Obeid Lutale, were arrested in Kenya and returned to Uganda, where they were charged with treason. Both men have denied the charges, while their lawyers and party officials maintain that the case is politically motivated.

Harold Kaija, a senior official of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), said Besigye suddenly collapsed during proceedings before an ambulance arrived to take him from the courtroom. His destination and medical condition were not immediately disclosed.

Uganda Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine did not respond to requests for comment, while judiciary spokesperson Ereemye Mawanda said he had no information about the incident at the time of reporting.

Besigye’s detention has attracted criticism from local and international human rights organisations, including the Commonwealth, which has called for his release. Critics of President Yoweri Museveni’s administration argue that the prolonged detention reflects wider concerns about the treatment of opposition figures and political dissent in the country.

The veteran opposition politician was briefly hospitalised in February after going on a hunger strike to protest his detention. In April, his wife, Winnie Byanyima, said his health had deteriorated. Besigye has also sought the reinstatement of his legal team after Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua was declared persona non grata in Uganda, while another defence lawyer, Erias Lukwago, was detained and charged with misprision of treason.

SOURCE: Reuters