Byanyima Accuses Museveni Family of Jailing Besigye to Clear Way for Dynastic Rule

KAMPALA, Uganda — Winnie Byanyima, the wife of jailed opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, has accused President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, of orchestrating what she described as the illegal detention of her husband as part of a broader plan to entrench family rule in Uganda.

Speaking to reporters at her home in Kasangati on Tuesday, Byanyima said Besigye is being deliberately targeted because of his outspoken opposition to what she claims is a succession plan designed to elevate Kainerugaba to the presidency. According to Byanyima, her husband’s continued detention is intended to silence one of the most prominent critics of the alleged scheme.

She further alleged that Besigye is being held under military guard at Luzira Prison, rather than under standard civilian prison supervision, and warned that his health has sharply deteriorated. Byanyima said her husband is suffering from a serious illness that prison authorities initially failed to address.

Byanyima, who is also the executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said the government has devoted significant resources to what she described as a sustained effort to frame Besigye because he stands firmly against an agenda aimed at extending President Museveni’s decades-long rule through his son. She claimed this agenda includes restructuring the military and pursuing constitutional amendments that would favor Kainerugaba’s eventual rise to power.

“The state is using every means available to neutralize those who oppose this project,” Byanyima said, insisting that her husband’s prosecution has more to do with politics than the law.

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations. However, Farouk Kirunda, the deputy State House spokesperson, dismissed Byanyima’s claims and said President Museveni has no involvement in the case. Kirunda said Besigye was lawfully charged and emphasized that any concerns regarding his detention or treatment should be addressed through the court system.

Byanyima also expressed deep concern about her husband’s health, stating that Besigye has been unwell since mid-January. She said prison authorities initially denied him access to medical care despite repeated requests from his family and personal physician. According to Byanyima, it was only after sustained pressure that prison officials allowed Besigye to visit a private clinic in Bugolobi late Monday night.

She said that when she saw him at the clinic, Besigye was severely dehydrated and running a high temperature. Doctors who examined him recommended a follow-up consultation, she said, but prison officials later told her that any further medical care would require approval from senior authorities.

Frank Baine, a spokesperson for the Uganda Prisons Service, offered a different account of the events. He described the clinic visit as a routine monthly medical checkup and said Besigye was found to be in stable condition before being returned to Luzira Prison. Baine rejected claims that Besigye had been denied treatment or that his condition was critical.

Byanyima strongly disputed the prison service’s version of events, questioning why a routine checkup would be conducted late at night and without prior notification to the family. She said the circumstances surrounding the visit only reinforced her fears about the government’s handling of her husband’s case.

Besigye, a longtime opposition leader and four-time presidential candidate, was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024 before being transferred back to Uganda. Upon his return, he was charged and remanded to Luzira Prison, where he remains in custody.

Byanyima has repeatedly called on the government to drop all charges against her husband, arguing that they are politically motivated. She has also urged authorities to allow Besigye to receive medical treatment at home, warning that continued detention poses a serious risk to his health.