Joseph Isangura
The disappearance of Dr. Kizza Besigye, a leading Ugandan opposition figure and veteran political activist, has sparked alarm across the region.
Besigye, known for his staunch criticism of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was last seen on Saturday evening at an apartment complex on Riverside Drive, Westlands, Nairobi.
According to close associates, Besigye informed them that he was going to meet an unidentified person at the apartment. He was dropped off by a taxi driver who waited for hours but left when Besigye failed to return. Since then, all attempts to reach him via phone have been unsuccessful.
Besigye had traveled to Nairobi on November 16, 2024, to attend the launch of a book by Kenyan politician Martha Karua. However, sources indicate there is no confirmation he attended the event, which was graced by prominent
Concerns escalated after his wife, Winnie Byanyima, alleged that Besigye might have been abducted and taken to Uganda, potentially held in a military detention facility. “We demand immediate access to him and his release. Dr. Besigye is a civilian and should not be held in a military prison,” Byanyima stated in an urgent appeal to authorities.
Hotel officials at the Waridi Paradise Hotel in Nairobi’s Hurlingham neighborhood, where Besigye was staying, confirmed he had not returned since leaving on Saturday. His belongings remain at the hotel, and he was due to
This incident comes against a backdrop of recent cross-border abductions involving Ugandan dissidents in Kenya. Earlier this year, 36 Ugandan political activists associated with Besigye were forcibly taken from Kisumu, Kenya, and returned to Uganda, where they faced treason charges.
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Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and a former military officer, has faced numerous arrests and detentions over his decades-long activism against Museveni’s administration. His disappearance highlights the precarious position of opposition leaders in East Africa, where political tensions often spill across borders.
Neither Kenyan nor Ugandan authorities have officially commented on Besigye’s disappearance. Activists and international rights organizations are calling for an urgent investigation into his whereabouts and safety.
The mystery surrounding Besigye’s disappearance is deepening, with fears of foul play growing. His associates and supporters continue to demand immediate action, calling on regional leaders to prioritize the safety of political dissidents.
