Byanyima Says Besigye 'Bundled Back to Luzira'

What the report says

Opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye has been moved back to Luzira Prison from Mulago Hospital, according to remarks by his wife, Winnie Byanyima, who said the transfer happened on Friday evening while he was still too weak to walk, speak or feed himself. The Nile Post reported that Besigye had been at Mulago for nine days after collapsing in court and being admitted to the intensive care unit.

Byanyima said prison officials had previously indicated that Luzira was not equipped to handle Besigye’s condition and that he should stay at Mulago for rehabilitation. She said the situation changed after Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi visited the hospital, after which an order allegedly came to return Besigye to prison. She questioned why medical advice would be overridden and said her family had been helping care for him because he remained dependent on assistance.

Baryomunsi, in comments cited by the Nile Post, said earlier on Friday that Besigye was recovering steadily during his visit to Mulago and wished him well. The article says the family fears the move could put Besigye’s health at risk and that the prison service had been contacted for comment. The development matters because it raises questions about the balance between custody and medical care for a high-profile opposition politician recovering from a serious illness.