Kizza Besigye is in ICU in Kampala after collapsing during his treason trial, with his wife saying the opposition figure is unconscious and unresponsive.
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye is in intensive care in Kampala after collapsing in court during his treason trial, his wife said. The Kizza Besigye court collapse came as the 70-year-old challenged the appointment of state lawyers to represent him, before prison guards rushed him to hospital.
Winnie Byanyima said on X that he was unconscious, unable to speak, and not responding to pain. She said Besigye cried out that he was being injured before he fell. Court witnesses said he had repeatedly shouted for the legal issue to stop before collapsing at the High Court in Kampala. Byanyima, who leads UNAids, also said Besigye’s sister Olive Kobusingye, a doctor, was in court but was not allowed to treat him.
Besigye has been in detention since November 2024. He and his aide, Obeid Lutale, have both been charged with treason, which they deny. Prosecutors allege the two plotted to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government. In Uganda, treason is a capital offence, meaning a conviction could carry the death penalty. Besigye has been one of Museveni’s most persistent challengers, running against him four times after once serving as his personal doctor before they split in 1999.
The case has drawn attention well beyond a single courtroom because it sits at the junction of politics, detention, and health. Besigye was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and taken back to Uganda, according to the report, before being held with Lutale and pushed through a military and then civil legal process. His lead lawyer, Erias Lukwago, is now in jail after being seized by the army last month, while Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua was barred from entering Uganda when she flew in to represent him.
“Kizza Besigye is in ICU in Kampala after collapsing during his treason trial, with his wife saying the opposition figure is unconscious and unresponsive.”
After Wednesday’s hearing, Besigye was moved to Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda’s largest public hospital. Byanyima said he was refusing treatment from government medical staff and wanted his personal physician to treat him at a private clinic instead. The ICU ward is said to be guarded by heavily armed security officers, and reports later said his sister, who is also his personal doctor, had been allowed to see him.
Calls for his release have grown from family members, opposition figures, and human rights groups, who say he should be freed on medical grounds. On Wednesday, his son Adam Ampa appealed to Museveni and to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the army chief and Museveni’s son, to show mercy and release his father for humanitarian reasons. Bobi Wine, another opposition figure who fled Uganda after the January presidential election, called Besigye’s appearance in court while visibly unwell a serious violation of his basic rights.
This is not the first time Besigye has been sent to hospital since his detention. In February 2025, he was taken to a private clinic after his health worsened during a hunger strike over his continued detention, and he was hospitalized again earlier this year for a short stay. The latest Kizza Besigye court collapse keeps pressure on Uganda’s government as it faces questions over how it handles a veteran opposition leader whose legal case is now inseparable from concerns about his health. For American readers, the takeaway is simple: when courts, prisons, and politics collide like this, basic rights and due process come under the brightest possible spotlight.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Kizza Besigye collapse in court?
He collapsed during a hearing in which he was challenging the appointment of state lawyers to represent him. Witnesses said he had repeatedly shouted for the legal issue to stop before falling.
What condition is Besigye in after the collapse?
His wife said he was unconscious, unable to speak, and not responding to pain. He was taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital and placed in intensive care.
What charges does Besigye face?
Besigye and his aide Obeid Lutale have been charged with treason. Prosecutors allege they plotted to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni's government, which they deny.
Has Besigye been hospitalized before during his detention?
Yes. He was taken to a private clinic in February 2025 after his health worsened during a hunger strike, and he was hospitalized again earlier this year for a short stay.
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