With critics, including the widow of imprisoned opposition leader Kizza Besigye, calling the ban on prisoner visits during the Christmas season “cruel and inhumane,” Uganda’s prison officials have come under assault. Particularly since Besigye’s family had wanted to spend Christmas Eve and December 31 with him, the ban—which bans prisoners from hosting guests—has caused great worry for his welfare.
Why Is Kizza Besigye Detained, and What Charges Are Against Him?
Prominent opposition politician Kizza Besigye, 68, has been indicted in a military court with possession of firearms and seeking to buy weapons overseas, allegations he rejects. His trial has been postponed until next month. Having challenged and lost four presidential contests against Uganda’s long-time president, Yoweri Museveni, Besigye has a long history of political rivalry. His most recent arrest comes after a dramatic abduction in Kenya last month, whereby he was forcibly returned to Uganda and charged alongside his assistant, Obeid Lutale. Neither man has refuted the allegations.
Besigye’s family had hoped for his release over Christmas, but the court extended his detention until January 7.
Why is the seven-day visitor ban considered "cruel and inhumane"?
Besigye’s supporters and family are worried about the prison service’s choice to impose a seven-day visitor ban during the festive season. Especially his wife, Winnie Byanyima, has shown significant resistance. Head of the UN’s campaign against HIV and AIDS, Byanyima, said the action was “cruel and inhumane.”
“I’m not leaving [as advised] Besigye’s meals at the gate. Emphasizing her worry for her husband’s safety, Byanyima remarked, “I will go there and see my husband since I do not trust them with him even for a single day.” She said she would be determined to camp outside Luzira Prison, where Besigye is housed, even if it would mean spending overnight in a tent. “Maybe I will take a tent and sleep there… if that’s what they want,” she added.
Byanyima said that her spouse remains “strong and persevering” despite the severe conditions of his captivity. “He is in a tiny little room behind six prison gates,” she said, exposing her great sensitivity about his vulnerability.
How Do Authorities of Prison Justify the Visitor Ban?
Frank Baine Mayanja, a spokesman for Uganda Prisons Services, defended the ban on visitors, saying it was part of policies meant to stop “potential security lapses” during the busy Christmas season. “Christmas excites most prisoners; most do not want Christmas inside.” Mayanja remarked, “They must be thinking on how to do a prison break and go outside.” The institution had first declared a nearly month-long ban on visitors, but following public outrage, the prohibition was limited to seven days.
Mayanja also disregarded Byanyima’s concerns about the recent leadership changes at Luzira jail, claiming that the new leadership was just an “administrative issue” unrelated to Besigye’s case. “I think she should let us do our job,” Mayanja said, adding that the prison authorities have the “means and mechanism of keeping him alive.”
Why Is Besigye's Detention Part of a Larger Political Context?
Kizza Besigye has spent Christmas behind bars before this as well. He was charged with treason after being arrested in 2005 while returning from a political gathering preceding the 2006 presidential contest. The courts later withdrew these charges. Besigye also faced rape accusations in another instance; they were later dropped. Long claiming that these court battles were a component of a more extensive political persecution campaign run by Museveni’s regime, he has
In the current case, Besigye has opposed being tried in a military court, stating that he should be tried in a civilian court if there are legitimate charges against him as a civilian. However, Museveni has justified the use of military courts to trial civilians, particularly in crimes involving firearms, stating that this ensures national stability and faster resolution of cases. “Any crime involving a gun is dealt with in a military court,” Museveni said, complaining that civilian courts handle such matters too slowly.
Besigye's detention has political ramifications as well?
Uganda’s opposition groups have regularly protested about limitations on political activity and the use of military trials for citizens. They contend Museveni, who has governed Uganda since 1986, worries about political rivalry. But supporters of Museveni contend that over his almost forty-year presidency, his leadership has delivered stability to the nation.
With Besigye’s continued detention, his wife, Winnie Byanyima, remains determined to ensure his safety. “I do not trust his life with those who abducted him,” she said, reaffirming her commitment to fight for her husband’s release and to see him as often as possible. Despite the efforts of the authorities to downplay the concerns, the political and personal stakes for Besigye and his family remain high, especially as they face yet another Christmas without him.
