Kizza Besigye, a prominent Ugandan opposition leader, has reportedly been detained in a military jail in Kampala after being abducted in Nairobi, Kenya.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, a human rights advocate and executive director of UNAIDS, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Besigye was seized during a book launch event in Nairobi last Saturday. “We, his family and lawyers, demand to see him,” she wrote, questioning why her husband, a civilian, is being held in a military facility.
The 68-year-old Besigye, a former personal doctor to President Yoweri Museveni, has been a vocal critic of the leader, whom he has described as a dictator. Besigye led the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and contested four presidential elections, alleging electoral fraud, claims the government denies.
A frequent target of state arrests, Besigye has previously faced charges of inciting violence and suffered injuries in confrontations with authorities.
The Ugandan government has yet to comment on the matter.
