'Release my husband', Kizza Besigye's wife pleads

Winnie Byanyima. [File]

Ugandan human rights activist, Winnie Byanyima, has pleaded with President Yoweri Museveni to release her husband and long-time opposition leader Kizza Besigye who is facing treason charges.

In a video message published on her X account, Winnie expressed her frustration with Uganda's justice system after the court once again denied bail to Besigye and his aide, Hajj Obeid Lutaale thus extending their detention.

She noted that despite spending more than six months in detention, the government has failed to grant the accused bail despite exceeding the maximum legally allowed 180 detention days.

"I've just learned that my husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and his friend, Hajj Obeid Lutaale, have been denied bail once again," she said. "They've been in prison for more than 180 days."

Byanyima further accused the authorities of intentionally delaying the case by constantly amending the charges against the two men.

"The government has kept changing the charge sheet and has been unable to move a case and start trying them. They have a right to mandatory bail after being in prison for 180 days, yet it has been denied," she lamented.

She appealed directly to President Museveni to intervene and ensure justice is served.

"I appeal to President Museveni to do justice for my husband, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and his friend, Hajj Obeid Lutaale, and all other political prisoners. Their only crime is to disagree politically," she remarked.

Byanyima described the detainees as peaceful political dissidents, not criminals.

"They are political dissidents. They should not be in prison. They should be out there expressing their independent views peacefully, as they have been doing."

Her plea comes at a time when many activists are raising concerns about the use of prolonged detention to silence government critics in Uganda.