The People's Front for Freedom (PFF) has raised renewed alarm over the deteriorating health of its leader and four time presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye, saying the opposition figure is critically ill and being denied adequate medical care while in state custody.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday through its X (formerly Twitter) account, the PFF rejected claims by Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine that Besigye had been taken for a "routine check," insisting instead that the veteran opposition leader is "seriously unwell."
"The People's Front for Freedom wishes to update the public and our supporters on the deteriorating condition of our leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye. Despite claims that he was taken for a 'routine check,' we want to inform the nation and the world of the truth: our leader is seriously unwell," the statement read.
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The party accused authorities of downplaying what it described as a medical emergency resulting from prolonged detention, warning that continued demands for Besigye's court appearances despite his weakened condition amount to "a cruel and calculated move."
PFF further invoked painful historical parallels, recalling the death of Besigye's brother, Saasi, and warning against what it described as a recurring pattern of neglect toward critics of the state.
"Freedom has a price, and Dr. Besigye has carried that burden for decades. However, his life and health are not negotiable.
We demand Dr. Besigye's unconditional release to allow him to seek specialized, independent medical attention," the statement continued.
The latest statement follows earlier warnings by the PFF that Besigye's health had reached a critical stage. According to the party, the opposition leader was urgently transferred late Monday night from Luzira Prison to a medical facility at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security deployment.
"The situation has become dire. We have received credible reports that Dr. Besigye was rushed to a medical facility under heavy security--a man who has dedicated his life to the health and freedom of others now denied his own right to medical care and dignity," the party said in an earlier release.
The PFF has held the government and prison authorities fully responsible for Besigye's condition, accusing them of denying him basic medical treatment and violating his legal and human rights. The party has also demanded unrestricted access for Besigye's personal doctors and family.
Addressing journalists at her residence in Kasangati, Wakiso District, earlier on Tuesday, Besigye's wife and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, said her husband is critically ill and alleged that prison authorities are preventing him from accessing his personal medical team.
Byanyima said Besigye is being guarded by high-ranking security and intelligence officers, including some women dressed in Muslim attire, and expressed concern that she was not informed as next of kin when he was rushed to see a medical doctor.
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She accused President Museveni of using state power, the military, and the justice system to silence Besigye because of his opposition to what she described as a long-term plan to extend Museveni's rule through his son.
Byanyima warned that Uganda is entering a dangerous period marked by abductions, torture, enforced disappearances, and the criminalization of opposition leaders.
Besigye, a former personal physician to President Museveni and one of his longest-serving political challengers, has contested the presidency unsuccessfully four times.
He has been in detention for over a year without trial following his arrest in Narobi in November 2024 and he faces treason-related charges.
At their most recent appearance before the Kampala High Court on December 30, 2025, Besigye and his co-accused, Obed Lutale and Capt. Denis Oola, entered not-guilty pleas by court order after declining to plead. The case was adjourned to January 21, 2026, for scheduling.
Last year, Besigye was also reported to be critically ill after staging a hunger strike demanding justice. President Museveni at the time dismissed the action as political pressure, maintaining that prison facilities were capable of providing medical care to all inmates.
