Uganda's Veteran Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye Collapses in Court, Enters ICU

Sun Sep 06 2026 10:20:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 70‑year‑old politician collapses during his treason trial, and his wife confirms he's in intensive care in Kampala.

Veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye collapsed unconscious during a treason trial in Kampala and has been admitted to the ICU. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, reported that he refuses government medical staff and prefers private care. Besigye has been in detention since November 2024 after an alleged plot to overthrow President Museveni and was abducted in Kenya earlier this year. The incident has heightened concerns about the treatment of opposition leaders in Uganda.

In a dramatic turn of events, 70‑year‑old Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye collapsed at the high court in Kampala while his lawyers were halted from entering, rendering him unconscious and unresponsive. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, the head of the UN AIDS agency, has confirmed on X that he is now in the intensive care unit of Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Besigye has been confined since November last year after authorities suspect him of plotting to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni. The case has already seen the arrest of his lead lawyer and the inability of another to enter the country after flying in from Kenya.

During the Wednesday hearing, witnesses reported that Besigye shouted “stop” and “I am injured” before he collapsed. He has refused treatment from government doctors and wants his personal physician, who is also his sister, to provide care. Security guards now escort him in the ICU, and his sister has reportedly been allowed to see him.

The incident underscores the strained relationship between the Ugandan government and opposition leaders, raising questions over their rights and safety amid ongoing political tensions.