Besigye Treason Trial Faces Uncertainty After Hospitalisation

Kampala, August 10, 2026 - The treason trial of opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye faces renewed uncertainty as the court considers whether proceedings can continue while he remains hospitalised.

Besigye was admitted to the intensive care unit at Mulago Hospital after collapsing in the dock during a previous appearance, following nearly 30 minutes of protest. The Uganda Prisons Service informed the court that he was still receiving medical care, placing his fitness to participate in proceedings at the centre of the case.

The matter is politically significant because Besigye remains one of Uganda's most prominent opposition figures, and a treason trial involving him carries implications for the political climate, judicial independence and perceptions of state treatment of government critics.

A visit by minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi added further public attention to the case, though the immediate legal question remains whether the court can proceed in the absence of the accused or must wait for medical clearance.