Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has provided an update on the condition of veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye after visiting him at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he remains under medical care following his recent collapse in court.
Baryomunsi visited the 70-year-old opposition figure on Friday morning and said he found him steadily recovering after spending several days in the Intensive Care Unit.
The minister said he wished Besigye a quick recovery and appreciated the medical team attending to him during what has been a difficult period for the veteran politician.
“I paid a visit to Dr. Kiiza Besigye today morning at Mulago Hospital, where he is hospitalised. He is steadily recuperating and I wished him quick recovery,” Baryomunsi said.
“I thank the team of medical workers that are attending to him,” the minister added, expressing appreciation for the doctors and other health workers responsible for Besigye’s treatment.
The minister’s visit and update provide the latest indication that Besigye’s condition has improved after he was admitted to Mulago Hospital following his sudden collapse during proceedings at the High Court.
Besigye was initially taken to the Intensive Care Unit, where he received specialised medical attention as doctors monitored his condition.
His hospitalisation sparked widespread concern among his family members, political colleagues and supporters, particularly after reports emerged that his condition had deteriorated following the courtroom incident.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, had earlier expressed serious concern about his health, saying that Besigye was critically ill and experiencing difficulties speaking.
Family members and political allies also repeatedly called for Besigye to receive appropriate medical attention and for his rights as a patient and detainee to be respected.
The latest update from Baryomunsi, however, suggests that the former presidential candidate has made some progress and is steadily recovering from the condition that led to his admission.
Besigye remains at Mulago Hospital under security supervision as he receives treatment while continuing to face treason-related charges.
The heavy security presence around him has itself become a subject of concern, with his family and political allies questioning whether the arrangements surrounding his hospitalisation are consistent with his rights.
Earlier this week, High Court judge Justice Emmanuel Baguma directed the Uganda Prisons Service to provide a medical report concerning Besigye’s condition.
The report is expected to assist the court in determining how his ongoing legal proceedings can proceed in light of his health situation.
Byanyima, who recently visited her husband at the hospital, said doctors were still working to establish the cause of his sudden collapse.
She also criticised what she described as the heavy security deployment around Besigye’s hospital bed and called for his constitutional rights to be respected while he receives treatment.
Besigye’s health concerns come amid a lengthy legal battle that has kept him in custody since his arrest in Nairobi in November 2024 and subsequent transfer to Uganda.
The veteran opposition politician is facing treason-related charges, with the proceedings attracting significant attention from opposition supporters, human rights advocates and the wider public.
For now, Baryomunsi’s statement offers some relief to Besigye’s supporters, who have been closely following reports about his condition since the courtroom collapse.
The minister’s assurance that Besigye is steadily recuperating also places renewed focus on his continued medical care as his family, lawyers and supporters await further updates from his doctors and authorities.
