Ms Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, has issued an impassioned plea to the government to allow her husband, veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, for urgent medical treatment.
Writing on her X (formerly Twitter) handle in the early hours of August 24, 2026, Ms Byanyima expressed deep concern for Dr Besigye’s deteriorating health following his return to a detention cell, calling his current treatment cruel and a violation of fundamental human rights.
“My concern is Kizza Besigye’s health and life. I demand that his right to health be respected. Let me bring him home to Geneva for proper medical care. When he recovers, he will return and defend himself in court,” Ms Byanyima posted. She assured authorities that Dr Besigye would return to Uganda to face trial once he recovers, emphasizing that he remains innocent until proven guilty.
Ms Byanyima drew a sharp contrast between the treatment afforded to the First Family and that of her husband. She noted that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had expressed gratitude to South Africa’s medical team and his family for attending to First Lady Janet Museveni, yet Dr Besigye was denied similar access to specialized care and family support.
“Kizza Besigye is innocent unless proven guilty. He deserves the same rights as the President’s family, and every Ugandan. All Ugandans must have equal access to necessary medical care, the support of their families, and protection under the law, regardless of their status or political views,” she wrote.
Highlighting the harsh conditions at the facility, Ms Byanyima condemned the decision to move the four-time presidential candidate back to confinement.
“Returning a very weak man to an airless, dark, bedbug-infested cell and denying him family care is cruel and a violation of his human rights,” she stated.
She further voiced anxiety over earlier public remarks by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who had reportedly threatened that Dr Besigye would leave prison in a coffin. “After Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s public threat… I cannot remain silent. Are they trying to make that threat a reality?” she asked.
Ms Byanyima expressed frustration over the ongoing legal proceedings presided over by High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma, alleging that court warders and prison authorities removed Dr Besigye’s sisters who had been caring for him at the prison facility.
“I am hurt, angry and anxious… He is still extremely weak and needs family care. Prison conditions will undermine his recovery. Yet Judge Baguma has brushed aside his medical condition and carried on with this sham trial,” she posted.
Dr Besigye, who faces treason charges, has been in state custody since his arrest in Nairobi in November 2024. His family and legal team continue to call for his immediate release on bail to access specialized care.