Ugandan Opposition Leader Dr. Kizza Besigye in ICU

Dr. Kizza Besigye, a prominent Ugandan opposition leader, has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala after collapsing during his treason trial on Wednesday.

His wife, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), announced on Thursday that the 70-year-old politician is unconscious and in critical condition. Besigye collapsed while appearing before a court in Kampala, where he is facing treason charges.

Following the incident, he was transported from the courtroom in an ambulance to the national referral hospital. Government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incident.

Besigye has been in detention since November 2024 after being arrested in Kenya alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, and returned to Uganda, where they were both charged with treason. His lawyers and supporters have described the charges as politically motivated, alleging that his prolonged detention is part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures under President Yoweri Museveni’s government.