Besigye will start eating solid food gradually—Byanyima

___________________

The wife of incarcerated four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye has said he will gradually start eating solid food.

Winnie Byanyima, who is also the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS head, said on Friday (February 21) that Besigye had called off his hunger strike after finally being charged in a civilian court.

“He is very weak but has started taking fluids and fruits and will gradually move on to solid food. Besigye is innocent and confident he will be found so,” she said on X, formerly Twitter, while conveying greetings from her husband at Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala.

She thanked all the people who stood with Besigye, saying their pressure forced the regime to respect his rights.

“We will meet them in court. Tutakutana (we will meet),” she assured her followers.

Besigye started a hunger strike days after the Supreme Court ruled stopping the trial of civilians in military courts on January 31, 2025.

He and his long-time friend, Hajji Obeid Lutale, were arrested in Kenyan capital Nairobi on November 16 this year.

They were subsequently brought home and charged with several firearms and security offences at the General Court Martial (GCM), which later remanded them to Luzira Prison.

On Friday (February 21), they were charged with treason in the Nakawa Chief Magistrates’ Court and remanded to Luzira Prison.

They were remanded along with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces officer, Capt. Denis Oola.