Kampala, Uganda – Former presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye’s deteriorating health has caused alarm, with his family, health workers, and clergy joining calls for his release. The demands for Besigye’s release are intensifying, and they come after he appeared in court on Friday.
Veteran opposition leader and former Uganda Medical Association (UMA) president Besigye has been in detention for weeks. His family was concerned about his health, and they called upon the authorities to permit his personal physician to access him in prison. The family said that the health condition of Besigye needed specialized care that may not be fully available in the prison health system.
We are concerned about his health. We believe it is essential at this stage that his own physician look after him,” a spokesman for the family said. “His health appears to be worsening, and we ask the authorities to bear his health in mind.”.
The Uganda Medical Association, which Besigye once headed, has also expressed concern. The association, in a statement issued over the weekend, noted the inability of the health facilities in prison to cater to Besigye’s health requirements.
“Dr. Besigye’s health requirements are beyond what the prison system can offer at the moment. We call upon the authorities to allow him further medical care,” the UMA statement further said. “He being a former member of our brotherhood, his health is of utmost concern to us.”
The call has also been signed by the clergy, highlighting compassion and justice. Reverend Samuel Kibuuka of the Church of Uganda said, “It is our moral obligation to make sure that every citizen, irrespective of their political opinion, is handled with dignity. We pray for the health of Dr. Besigye and urge the authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds.”
The growing demands for Besigye’s release are an indication of mounting concern over his health condition while in detention and that of Uganda’s political detainees in general. Activists have taken to social media to demand his release using the hashtag #FreeBesigye.
There has been no statement so far from government officials in response to these demands. Nevertheless, public and stakeholder pressure continues to mount.
Dr. Kiiza Besigye is one of the central figures in Uganda’s politics, having challenged President Yoweri Museveni in past elections. His detentions and arrests have oftentimes sparked national and international debates regarding human rights and political liberty in the country.
The tension still lingers as supporters wait with bated breath for the next development, praying for a favorable outcome that will have Besigye receive the medical attention that he needs.
