Besigye remains in ICU at Mulago following court collapse

What the report says

Opposition politician and retired Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye remains in the intensive care unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital after collapsing during court proceedings in Kampala on Wednesday, according to The Independent Uganda’s report sourced to URN. The article said people close to his family described his condition as still worrying by Friday evening, while hospital and prison officials had not issued an official medical update.

The report said Besigye is being held under heavy security at the hospital. It also noted that leaders of the People’s Front for Freedom were turned away when they tried to visit him on Friday evening. The delegation included Harold Kaija, Doreen Nyanjura and Ingrid Turinawe. Nyanjura said a hospital official cited ICU policy as the reason for denying access, though she questioned the security presence around the patient.

According to the article, Besigye’s condition worsened after he fell in the dock during a hearing, following a protest over the start of his trial without lawyers of his choosing. He had asked for more time to consult counsel, but the court refused and ordered the prosecution to continue. The Independent Uganda also said Besigye has been detained since November last year after being arrested in Kenya and returned to Uganda on treason charges alongside Hajj Obeid Lutale and Capt. Denis Oola. The case remains politically significant because Besigye is one of Uganda’s best-known opposition figures.