The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has dismissed claims that opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye was rushed to Bugolobi Clinic in critical condition.
He clarified that Besigye, who has been on a hunger strike while imprisoned, was taken for medical tests rather than an emergency response to a “worst condition.”
While prison authorities initially recommended Murchison Bay Hospital, Baryomunsi advised consultations within the Prisons Authority, leading to Besigye’s transfer to Bugolobi Clinic, which is reportedly run by one of his personal doctors.
“I was there (in prison) with his private doctors and they wanted to carry out some medical tests. And the Prisons authorities were saying, let him go to Murchison Bay hospital to have those tests done. But I advised them to consult within the establishment of the Prisons Authority, there is no problem in him going to a hospital of his choice. And that is how he was taken to Bugolobi Clinic which is a clinic run by one of his doctors,” said Baryomunsi.
Baryomunsi, who visited Besigye at Luzira Prison, stated that while Besigye appeared weak, his condition was not alarming.
“Yes, he is weak, but from a medical standpoint, he is not in a condition where you would be extremely worried,” he said during an interview on NBS TV.
“It wasn’t that he had gotten worse; they were just carrying out routine checks,” Baryomunsi emphasized, urging Besigye to resume eating as legal processes surrounding his case continue.
He explained that Besigye’s private doctors had requested tests for blood sugar and electrolytes due to his prolonged hunger strike.
“So, he wasn’t lifted because he was in the worst condition, but they were going to carry out medical checks – blood sugar, electrolytes etc. Because he is not taking food, one gets what we call electrolytes imbalance. So you check potassium, sodium and so forth. It wasn’t that he had gotten worse, they were just going to carry out routine medical checks in the clinic.”
Concerns Over Besigye’s Detention
Baryomunsi also addressed delays in Besigye’s release, claiming that political considerations had stalled the process.
“After the judgment was issued, people (his lawyers) went into politics,” he noted, adding that he had engaged the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Chief Justice, and the Attorney General on the matter.
However, Besigye’s family remains skeptical. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, condemned Baryomunsi’s visit, calling it an “insult and abuse” of her husband’s rights.
“Dr. Besigye was abducted and is being held captive by your government,” she stated on social media.
Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) president Mugisha Muntu also criticized the situation, accusing the government of “normalizing the abnormal” in suppressing opposition figures.
Calls for Peace and Dialogue
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, called for forgiveness and prayers for Besigye during the 48th Commemoration of Janani Luwum Day in Kitgum.
“I pray that we promote peace, dialogue, and forgiveness, even to those who need our prayers like Dr. Kizza Besigye and other politicians,” Kaziimba stated, also wishing him a quick recovery.