Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was reportedly kidnapped in Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday, November 16, and is now being held in a military jail in Kampala.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, disclosed that Besigye was abducted while attending the book launch of NARC party leader Martha Karua. Byanyima has since made a heartfelt appeal to authorities, urging them to release her husband.
“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 wrote in an update on X on Wednesday, November 20.
Byanyima further claimed that Besigye was transferred to a military jail 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?” she questioned.
Martha Karua also weighed in, demanding explanations from both President William Ruto of Kenya and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda regarding Besigye’s safety and whereabouts.
“Let Yoweri Museveni and William Ruto come clean on the safety and whereabouts of Besigye,” Karua wrote on X.
The incident comes months after a similar case in July 2024 when 36 members of Uganda’s opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), were arrested in Kisumu, Kenya, and deported back to Uganda.
The FDC members were apprehended during a joint operation by Kenyan and Ugandan police, who reportedly raided their hotel rooms. Upon their return to Uganda, the individuals were charged with terrorism and alleged covert activities while reportedly attending a training seminar in Kisumu.
The arrests drew sharp criticism from Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, who condemned the actions of the security forces and demanded accountability from Kenyan authorities.
“Although the County Government of Kisumu has no link with the politicians, we condemn in the strongest terms possible the human rights violations meted against them while within the territory of Kisumu County. As the governor of Kisumu, where the incident happened, I further call for detailed investigations into this matter,” he said.
The alleged abduction of Besigye has sparked renewed concerns over political crackdowns and human rights violations in the region.
