Uganda’s Besigye in military jail after kidnap in Nairobi, wife says

KAMPALA, Uganda

The executive director of Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima on Wednesday asked Uganda’s military to release her husband, Dr Kizza Besigye from military detention in Kampala where he’s reportedly being held after he went missing in Nairobi Kenya where he had gone to attend a book launch by Kenya’s former Minister for Justice, Martha Karua.

Uganda Opposition veteran and wife Winnie in a past event

The four time presidential contender is said to have gone missing in Kenyan on Saturday.

“I request the government of Uganda to release my husband Dr Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately.  He was kidnapped last Saturday while he was in Nairobi for Hon Martha Karua’s book launch. I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala.  We his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Ms Byanyima posted on her X handle in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. 

The veteran Opposition leader was last seen on Saturday evening at an apartment complex on Riverside Drive in the Westlands area of the Kenyan capital.

Besigye had been booked to stay at the Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in Hurlingham neighbourhood, about 15 minutes by car from the Riverside Drive apartment.

An official at the hotel told our reporter on Tuesday night that Besigye had not returned to the hotel since he left on Saturday. 

The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi said he could not confirm or deny Besigye's detention.

"I'm currently in Soroti as part of President Museveni's entourage. I'm not aware that he is being held by the government.  I'm still cross-checking with our security agencies. In any case, why would he be arrested? The government is not in the habit of arresting citizens and keeping them incommunicado forever. If he's arrested then he will be arraigned in court and charged accordingly. We are also cross checking with our colleagues in Kenya because we were told he had travelled there for a book launch," Dr Baryomunsi said.

Besigye's disappearance follows the July 23 arrest of 36 Ugandan activists associated with him in Kisumu, the lakeside city in Kenya close to the border.

The political activists were abducted and ferried back to Uganda where they were charged with treason and remanded to Kitalya Prison. 

The activists, who were recently released on bail, pleaded not guilty to the charges and said they were attending a workshop when they were arrested.

The 36 activists claim to have been tortured during their detention.