Dr. Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s prominent opposition leader, was a no-show at the High Court Criminal Division on Monday, fueling fresh concerns about his health.
His lawyer, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, revealed that Besigye is in a critical state, unable to move, and that his condition has worsened in prison.
Besigye, along with his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale, was scheduled to appear to take a plea on charges of treason and misprision of treason. The session was adjourned to October 1 after both men failed to show up.
Lukwago, who visited Besigye at Luzira Prison, described a worrying scene to journalists on Tuesday.
“It is sad Besigye is not here,” he said. “When we went to visit him, he was in a room and can’t leave. He is not well. Hajji Obeid Lutale told us he is experiencing dizziness, and by evening yesterday, no one could see him. Let us pray that he gets better.”
Besigye, who was arrested in Nairobi last November and forcibly returned to Uganda, has been in detention ever since.
His health has reportedly been deteriorating since a hunger strike he staged in March to protest his trial before a military court, which has since been dropped. His frail appearance during a brief court appearance earlier this year had already left supporters concerned.
At Monday’s session, the state acknowledged that it had received letters from both Besigye and Lutale explaining their absence. Besigye cited illness, while Lutale claimed he had not been properly informed of the court date.
Lukwago and other defense lawyers have filed a formal request for Justice Emmanuel Baguma to recuse himself from the case, citing a lack of confidence in a fair trial. The judge ruled that the matter would be addressed when the accused are physically present and postponed the case to October 1.
Besigye’s legal team and family have reiterated their calls for his immediate transfer to a proper medical facility, warning that his continued detention under the current conditions amounts to “cruel and degrading treatment.”
