Kizza Besigye Collapses at Ugandan Court, Moves to ICU

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:25:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

70‑year‑old opposition leader Kizza Besigye collapses in court during a treason trial and is admitted to ICU, his wife reports he is unconscious.

Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye fell unconscious in court while testifying in a treason case and was rushed to ICU in Kampala. His wife posted on X that he could not speak or respond to pain. Besigye, a former government doctor and long‑time challenger of President Yoweri Museveni, has been in detention since November 2024 after an abduction in Kenya. Authorities say he refuses government medical staff and demands care from his private physician; his ICU ward is guarded by armed officers, and his lawyer and friends have been detained. The case highlights concerns about judicial fairness and political repression in Uganda.

Kizza Besigye Collapses at Ugandan Court, Moves to ICU

Kizza Besigye collapsed in a courtroom in Kampala while testifying in a treason case.

On Tuesday, 70‑year‑old Kizza Besigye fell unconscious while testifying in a treason trial in Kampala. His wife, Winnie Byanyima of UNAIDS, posted on X that he was unresponsive and could not even respond to pain.

Besigye has been in detention since November 2024. He was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and subsequently returned to Uganda. Seen as a former government doctor turned activist, he has challenged President Yoweri Museveni on several occasions. He is now admitted to the ICU at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he refuses treatment from government medical staff and demands care from his private physician.

Security officers escorted Besigye to an ambulance after witnesses reported that he repeatedly shouted “stop” at the counsel selector. His main lawyer, Erias Lukwago, is in jail after being seized by the army. Besigye’s son has appealed to President Museveni for mercy.

The state alleges that Besigye plotted to overthrow the government—a treason charge that carries the death penalty. The situation has drawn criticism from opposition figures and human‑rights advocates, who say that Besigye’s condition and legal treatment undermine democratic norms in Uganda.

Besigye’s ICU ward is guarded by armed security officers. His sister, Olive Kobusingye, a doctor, was denied entry earlier but has now reportedly seen him. Authorities say he will not allow any government official to touch him.

— Source: BBC News Africa