“This is not the man I left”: Byanyima’s anguish as Besigye remains in ICU

What the report says

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, says she was shocked when she visited her husband, Ugandan opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, in the intensive care unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala on Monday. The Observer reports that Besigye was unconscious, under heavy security and receiving treatment after collapsing in court during proceedings in his treason case. Byanyima said the state of his health had become a growing source of concern during his time in custody.

According to the report, Besigye fell ill on July 29, 2026, after protesting the handling of his trial and objecting to court-assigned lawyers. He was first taken to Mbuya Military Hospital and later transferred to Mulago. Byanyima later said his condition had worsened, and she also raised concerns about access to him and the level of medical care available while he remains detained.

The article says Besigye’s sister, trauma surgeon Dr. Olive Kobusingye, was initially denied access before being allowed into the ICU. Byanyima and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, argued that the case raises wider questions about medical care and constitutional rights for detainees. Besigye has been in custody since November 2024 after being arrested in Nairobi and brought back to Uganda with co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale. On Tuesday, High Court judge Emmanuel Baguma ordered a medical report to determine whether Besigye is fit to stand trial and adjourned the case to August 18.