Cruel and Inhumane”: Winnie Byanyima Condemns Christmas Visitor Ban for Detained Ugandan Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye

Winnie Byanyima, wife of detained Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye, has condemned the Ugandan government’s ban on Christmas prison visits as “cruel and inhumane.” Besigye, 68, a four-time presidential candidate and a prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni, is being held at Luzira Prison on charges of possessing illegal weapons and attempting to purchase firearms abroad—charges he denies. His trial has been delayed until January.

Prison authorities recently announced a seven-day ban on inmate visits, starting Christmas Eve, citing security concerns during the festive season. Uganda Prisons Services spokesperson Frank Baine Mayanja told local media that the ban was intended to prevent potential escapes, as “Christmas causes excitement, and prisoners may plan to break out.”

Byanyima, who heads the United Nations organization tackling HIV/AIDS, rejected the directive to leave food for her husband at the gate. She vowed to camp outside Luzira Prison if necessary, stating:

“I will go there and see my husband because I don’t trust them with him even for a single day. Maybe I will take a tent and sleep there if that’s what they want.”

Byanyima expressed concerns about Besigye’s well-being, describing his living conditions as a “tiny little room” behind six locked gates. She also questioned the prison’s recent change in leadership, accusing the authorities of appointing an inexperienced officer with suspicious intentions.

This is the second Christmas Besigye has spent behind bars during his political career. In 2005, he was arrested ahead of the 2006 presidential elections and charged with treason and rape—allegations dismissed by the courts. Besigye has consistently maintained that such charges are politically motivated.

In the latest case, Besigye was abducted from Kenya last month and forcibly returned to Uganda. He has since objected to being tried in a military court, arguing that as a civilian, he should be tried in a civilian court. Despite a Constitutional Court ruling against trying civilians in military courts, the Ugandan government has continued the practice, citing national security concerns for crimes involving firearms.

President Museveni has defended the military courts, claiming they expedite justice and ensure stability, unlike the slower civilian courts. Critics, however, argue that such measures are part of a broader crackdown on political opposition.

Byanyima remains steadfast in her support for her husband and his fight for democracy in Uganda. “I do not trust his life with those who abducted him. I will seek to see him as often as I can,” she said.

As Besigye remains behind bars, opposition groups continue to accuse Museveni’s government of suppressing dissent and stifling political competition. The nearly 40-year rule of President Museveni has been marked by allegations of human rights abuses and restrictions on political freedoms, charges his supporters deny, instead crediting him for maintaining stability in the country.