NARC party leader Martha Karua has detailed Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye’s final known movements before his reported abduction in Nairobi.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 20, Karua said Besigye arrived in Nairobi on Saturday, November 16, and checked into the Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites.
According to Karua, Besigye later left the hotel in a taxi for a meeting at 108 Riverside Apartments, Apartment C1102, but was not seen again.
“The driver waited for him in the basement parking from about 4:30 PM to late evening, eventually leaving around 4:00 AM on Sunday after receiving no response to his messages,” Karua revealed.
Besigye was scheduled to attend and speak at Karua’s book launch on Sunday, November 17, but failed to show up.
Karua expressed alarm over Besigye’s disappearance, stating that his family has been unable to reach him since his last known whereabouts.
“This occurrence is deeply disturbing and of grave concern. We suspect that Dr. Besigye may have been abducted after being dropped at Riverside Apartments, most likely by Ugandan authorities, potentially in collusion with Kenyan officials,” she said.
On Wednesday morning, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, reiterated the claims, stating that he was kidnapped while in Nairobi for Karua’s book launch.
In a statement on X, Byanyima passionately appealed for her husband’s immediate release.
“I request the government of Uganda to release my husband Dr. Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately. He was kidnapped last Saturday while he was in Nairobi for Hon Martha Karua’s book launch,” she said.
Byanyima alleged that following the abduction, Besigye was transported to a military detention facility in Kampala.
“I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala. We, his family, and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Byanyima questioned.
The incident has sparked widespread concern and calls for clarity on the fate of the Ugandan opposition leader.
