The wife of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has condemned the prison authorities’ decision to ban all visitors on Christmas Day, calling it “cruel and inhumane.”
Besigye, 68, who faces charges in a military court for allegedly possessing firearms and attempting to purchase weapons abroad, denies the charges.
His trial has been postponed until next month.
Prison officials announced that, as part of security measures for the holiday season, inmates would not be allowed any visitors for seven days, starting on Christmas Eve.
However, Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of the UN programme on HIV and AIDS, said she planned to stand outside Luzira Prison to ensure she could deliver food to her husband on Christmas Day.
Speaking to the BBC, Byanyima described her husband as “strong and persevering” despite being confined to a small cell behind multiple layers of security.
However, she expressed concern for his safety, stating, “I don’t trust them with him, even for one day.”
“I’m not leaving his food at the gate as they’ve instructed,” she continued.
“I will be there, even if I have to pitch a tent and stay overnight, I will do what it takes to see him.”
Besigye, a long-time critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has run for president four times but has never won.
Although he did not contest the 2021 elections, his political activity has remained significant.
Last month, he made headlines when he was forcibly abducted in Kenya and taken back to Uganda, where he faced charges alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, both of whom deny the allegations.
His detention has been extended until January 7, ending his family’s hopes of having him home for the holiday season.
Uganda Prisons Service spokesperson Frank Baine Mayanja defended the seven-day visitor ban, explaining that it was a security measure to prevent potential escapes, especially during a time of year when excitement runs high among prisoners.
“Christmas causes excitement, and many prisoners might plan an escape to avoid spending the holiday in prison,” Mayanja explained to NTV Uganda.
Initially, the authorities proposed a month-long ban on visits, but this was later shortened to seven days.
Byanyima, however, raised concerns about the recent leadership change at Luzira prison, questioning the appointment of a “young and inexperienced” official as the new head.
She expressed her suspicions, saying, “It makes me doubt their intentions and the safety of my husband.”
Mayanja responded, assuring her that the prison authorities had the necessary resources to ensure Besigye’s safety.
“We have the means and mechanisms to keep him alive,” he said, urging Byanyima to trust them.
This marks the second time Besigye has spent Christmas in prison. In 2005, he was detained on charges of treason while returning from a political rally, though the charges were later dropped.
He has long claimed that these legal battles are part of a broader campaign of political persecution by Museveni’s government.
Besigye has also opposed being tried in a military court, insisting that civilian courts should handle his case.
However, Museveni has justified the use of military courts for gun-related crimes, arguing that they are more efficient in ensuring national stability, as civilian courts often face delays.
This practice of trying civilians in military courts has drawn criticism, with opposition parties accusing Museveni of stifling political opposition.
However, his supporters argue that his rule has provided stability over nearly four decades in power.
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