The Uganda Prisons Service has dismissed widespread reports claiming that jailed opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye’s health has severely deteriorated, insisting that the 69-year-old is in stable condition.
Over the weekend, social media was awash with claims that Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, was gravely ill and “unable to support himself.” The reports triggered a wave of anxiety among his supporters, some warning of political unrest if his condition worsened.
“If Dr. Besigye dies in prison (God forbid), it will mark the beginning of the real revolution,” one supporter, Gideon Kwikiriza, posted online.
Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine moved swiftly to counter the narrative, branding the reports false and attributing them to Besigye’s legal team.
“Besigye has no problem as far as I am concerned. It’s the same story since last November that he is sick, but he’s fine,” Baine told Pulse Uganda in a phone interview.
“The information that he is sick is from the lawyers, and I do not answer to the lawyers. They say he is sick, that he is going to die in prison… if he were to die, he would be long dead.”
Dr Kizza Besigye in a court hearing ssession
Concerns about Besigye’s health resurfaced last week when his lawyers, led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, reported that the opposition figure was weak and immobile.
“It is sad Besigye is not here,” Lukwago told reporters. “When we went to visit him, he was in a room and couldn’t leave. He is not well. Hajji Obeid Lutale told us he is experiencing dizziness, and by evening yesterday, no one could see him. Let us pray that he gets better.”
Baine also dismissed claims that Besigye’s visitation rights had been curtailed. “The claim that his visitation has been restricted is also a lie because even last Friday, he was visited,” he added.
The conflicting accounts have left the public questioning the true state of Besigye’s health. While his lawyers paint a picture of a deteriorating condition, prison authorities maintain he remains under proper care.