Ugandan opposition veteran Dr. Kizza Besigye is fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital after collapsing during a high-stakes High Court hearing in Kampala on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
The 70-year-old four-time presidential candidate, already visibly frail, lost consciousness while fiercely protesting a judicial ruling that imposed state-appointed lawyers on his defense team against his will.
He was seen slamming his hand on the dock and denouncing the decision as a “violation of the constitution” moments before he fainted. Prison wardens and medical personnel administered first aid on the spot before evacuating him by ambulance.
According to his wife, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, Besigye remains in critical condition. She stated that he is “unconscious, unable to speak, and unresponsive even to a pain stimulus.”
The family has formally petitioned the High Court for an emergency transfer to a private clinic so he can be treated by his personal physician. They cite a profound lack of trust in the government-run facility. The court has not yet ruled on the request.
Family members say Besigye’s health had already deteriorated sharply during his prolonged detention at Luzira Prison. They attribute the decline to severe dehydration, alleged medical neglect, and the effects of a previous hunger strike.
Besigye has been in custody since late November 2024, when he was seized during a visit to Nairobi, Kenya, and forcibly repatriated to Uganda under controversial circumstances.
He faces charges of treason and misprision of treason, accused of conspiring with internal and external allies to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government by force.
The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition figures. Exiled National Unity Platform leader Bobi Wine described forcing a visibly unwell man into court as a shocking violation of basic human rights. Human rights groups have echoed concerns over the treatment of political detainees.
As of the latest reports, Ugandan government and prison authorities have not issued a detailed statement on Besigye’s prognosis or the family’s allegations of medical neglect.
