Uganda: Byanyima - "Government Should Explain Why Partner Is in Prison"

By Muhamadi Matovu

The executive director, United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima has said she doesn't understand why government decided to imprison her partner, Dr Kizza Besigye instead of focusing on the issues he raised.

She made the remarks shortly after visiting Besigye who is currently at Murchison Bay, Luzira Prison on June 29.

Byanyima said Besigye looks well and his spirit of liberating Uganda is strong.

"I asked why he wasn't at Upper Prison where he is a frequent guest, they said he has a smaller crime of being a public nuisance,"she noted.

She said that she wants to understand why a man who is protesting high fuel and food prices and calling for measures to cushion the poor and unemployed is in prison while some military officers who are expressing partisan views on social media are free.

"Can Uganda still be described as a democracy? I can't figure this a senior military officer can express partisan views on DR Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda among others and that's ok but when Kizza Besigye publicly complains about rising cost of living, he gets locked up. Are we equal under the law? Or, do we have the rule of law?"she queried.

She asked for the immediate release of Besigye and all political prisoners, adding that the government should address on the issues that were raised concerning commodity prices.

Dr Besigye was arrested couple of weeks ago from downtown Kampala while protesting against high commodity prices and taken into custody.

This was the second time Buganda Road Court was remanding Besigye in a period of less than a month on similar charges.

Besigye who is also the leader of the People's Transition Group attempted to mobilise Ugandans to rise up against the high cost of living, which he said is affecting vulnerable citizens.

Besigye wants government to cut down on what he calls extravagant expenditure.

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