Uganda’s Besigye jailed over succession plan opposition, wife alleges amid health crisis
KAMPALA, Uganda — Winnie Byanyima, wife of jailed opposition figure Kizza Besigye, has publicly accused President Yoweri Museveni of imprisoning her husband to silence his opposition to a plan that would see Museveni govern alongside his son during the president’s new 2026-31 term.
Byanyima, who serves as executive director of UNAIDS, made the allegations on Tuesday at her home in Kasangati. She claimed Besigye’s detention is directly connected to his knowledge of and opposition to what she described as a covert power-sharing arrangement between Museveni and his son, army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Health Crisis and Political Tensions
Byanyima’s allegations came amid serious concerns about Besigye’s health. The opposition leader was rushed from Luzira Prison to a medical facility in Kampala on Monday night after suffering severe stomach pain and fever.
Byanyima described finding her husband on intravenous treatment, severely dehydrated, and unable to walk. She has expressed deep concern about his access to adequate medical care in detention.
The People’s Front for Freedom, Besigye’s party, stated his health “has reached a critical and deteriorating state” and demanded unrestricted access to his personal doctors and family. However, prison spokesman Frank Baine denied Besigye was in failing health, calling the hospital visit “a general checkup”.
The Succession Controversy
Byanyima’s core allegation: Museveni, aware of his advanced age at 81, plans to amend Uganda’s constitution to formalize a governing arrangement with his son during the upcoming term. She claims this plan explains her husband’s imprisonment on treason charges, which she dismisses as fabricated.
The son’s rising power: Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s political ascent has been increasingly visible. Not on the ballot in the recent election, he instead stood aside for his father’s seventh-term bid. As army chief appointed by his father, he exercises authority previously reserved for the president, including promoting high-ranking officers.
Kainerugaba has been open about his presidential ambitions, stating in 2023: “I will be President of Uganda after my father”. His political influence is substantial, with campaign posters for parliamentary candidates often featuring the emblem of his political group, the Patriotic League of Uganda.
Official responses: Deputy State House spokesperson Farouk Kirunda dismissed Byanyima’s claims, stating Museveni has no role in Besigye’s case and that any grievances should be addressed through courts. The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces did not respond to the allegations.
Broader Political Context
The allegations emerge as Uganda faces political uncertainty following Museveni’s recent election victory, officially declared with 71.6% of the vote. Opposition leader Bobi Wine, who received 24.7%, has rejected the results as fake but stated he will not contest them in court, citing lack of confidence in the judiciary.
Wine is currently in hiding, expressing fear for his safety after army chief Kainerugaba threatened to treat him as “an outlaw/rebel”. Wine claims the security forces have killed opposition supporters during poll-related violence.
Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence in 1962. Museveni has systematically removed constitutional obstacles to his prolonged rule, including term limits and age restrictions.
Opposing Perspectives
· Critics of succession plans: Opposition figures and analysts express concern about hereditary rule. Academic Yusuf Serunkuma has provocatively urged Kainerugaba to “pretend to coup his dad” to become an opposition hero. Even within Museveni’s party, Interior Minister Kahinda Otafiire has cautioned against family succession, urging Kainerugaba to “prove to Ugandans that he is capable, not as Museveni’s son”.
· Supporters’ viewpoint: Kainerugaba’s allies argue he offers Uganda the opportunity for a peaceful political transition. They describe him as privately humble and critical of the corruption that has plagued his father’s government.
Historical Relationship Turned Sour
The conflict has deep personal dimensions. Besigye, a physician who retired from Uganda’s military as a colonel, once served as Museveni’s personal doctor and military assistant. This former closeness makes his transformation into Museveni’s most persistent critic particularly significant.
Besigye has been detained since November 2024 over allegations he plotted to overthrow the government. Kainerugaba has accused Besigye of plotting to kill his father and once said the opposition figure should be hanged “in broad daylight”.
As Uganda begins another five-year term under Museveni, the allegations of dynastic planning, combined with Besigye’s deteriorating health and the broader crackdown on opposition voices, point to heightened political tensions. With no obvious successor within the ruling party besides the president’s son, Uganda faces increasing uncertainty about its political future.
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