Prominent Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mulago National Referral Hospital after collapsing during a court session in Kampala on Wednesday.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, confirmed the development in a statement shared on X early Thursday, revealing that the 70-year-old politician was unconscious and in critical condition.
“He is unconscious, unable to speak, and unresponsive even to a pain stimulus,” said Byanyima, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Besigye reportedly collapsed while appearing before court in the Ugandan capital, where he is facing treason charges. He was rushed from the courtroom by ambulance and admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital for emergency treatment.
Uganda’s government had not issued an official statement on the incident by the time of publication, while government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The veteran opposition figure has remained in detention since November 2024 after he and his aide, Obeid Lutale, were arrested in Kenya before being returned to Uganda, where they were subsequently charged with treason.
His legal team, supporters and several human rights organisations have consistently dismissed the charges as politically motivated, arguing that his prosecution forms part of a wider crackdown on opposition leaders and government critics.
President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for decades, was declared the winner of Uganda’s most recent general election in January. The election results were rejected by his main challenger, Bobi Wine, who later went into exile in the United States.
Besigye’s continued detention and now his reported critical condition have drawn renewed international attention, with supporters and rights groups expressing growing concern over his health and calling for his release.
