Kizza Besigye's Critical Condition After Overnight Transfer

Concerns are mounting over the health of veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye after reports emerged that he was urgently transferred from Luzira Maximum Security Prison to a private medical facility under heavy security deployment. The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), a political movement closely aligned with Besigye, issued a statement late Monday on January 19 confirming “credible reports” that the 69-year-old former presidential candidate was rushed overnight to a clinic at Bugolobi Village Mall in Kampala. The group described his condition as “critical and deteriorating,” holding the government and prison authorities fully accountable for his well-being.”The People’s Front for Freedom wishes to inform the public and all supporters of freedom that the health of our leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye, has reached a critical and deteriorating state. ​We have received credible reports that Dr. Besigye was rushed in the night from Luzira Prison to a medical facility at Bugolobi Village Mall under heavy security,” the PFF statement read in part. It demanded immediate access for his personal doctors and family, reiterated calls for his release, and urged supporters to pray and stay vigilant. The development was widely shared on social media by Besigye allies, including posts highlighting the heavy security surrounding the transfer. Besigye has been detained in Luzira Prison since November 2024 following his abduction in Kenya and subsequent charges of treason offenses he and his supporters describe as politically motivated. His imprisonment has drawn international criticism, with human rights groups highlighting restrictions on opposition figures ahead of Uganda’s recent January 2026 elections, which saw President Yoweri Museveni secure a seventh term.