Minister Baryomunsi set to meet Museveni over Dr Besigye’s health

Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi says he is scheduled to meet President Yoweri Museveni to brief him on the health of jailed opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye.

Baryomunsi revealed the planned meeting over the weekend while speaking at a thanksgiving ceremony for Rubabo County MP Mathias Rwarubugumi.

The minister was addressing the mounting criticism he faced last week when he went to visit Besigye at Mulago National Referral Hospital

“The other day I went to check on Col Dr Kizza Besigye and a lot of people insulted me online saying, ‘You are an NRM person. Why had you gone to see him?’” Baryomunsi said.

“This backward politics needs to stop.”

Baryomunsi said his responsibility as Health Minister extends to all Ugandans regardless of their political affiliation and revealed that he would brief Museveni about Besigye's condition.

Following the visit, the minister promised to provide an update on the jailed opposition leader’s health to the president.

“I am scheduled to meet the president and update him on Dr Besigye’s health; because he is the one who appointed me the Minister of Health to look after the health of all Ugandans, those in NRM and those who aren’t,” he said.

“Let us therefore stop this backward politics. Let us unite, even if we have divergent views on politics; we are all Ugandans and we all belong to one God.”

The planned briefing comes amid continued concern over Besigye's health following his return to Luzira prison after several days at Mulago.

Baryomunsi visited Besigye at Mulago on August 7 and later said the veteran opposition politician was recovering.

Besigye had been admitted to Mulago after collapsing during proceedings at the High Court in Kampala on July 31.

His wife, Winnie Byanyima, however, disputed suggestions that his condition had improved enough for him to return to prison.

Hours after Baryomunsi's visit, Besigye was transferred from Mulago back to Luzira prison on the evening of August 7.

Byanyima protested the decision, saying her husband remained unable to walk, speak or care for himself without assistance when she left him at about 4.30pm.

She said family members had been helping Besigye eat and attend to his needs while he was hospitalised.

Byanyima also claimed that a senior Uganda Prisons official had joined a meeting between the family, Mulago doctors and Besigye's personal doctor before his transfer.

According to her account, doctors outlined a rehabilitation programme for Besigye, while the prisons official acknowledged that Luzira could not adequately support him in his condition and recommended that he remain at Mulago during his recovery.

She subsequently questioned why Besigye was returned to prison and suggested the decision came after Baryomunsi's visit. She also criticised the minister's presence at Besigye's bedside, saying he had not been invited.

Baryomunsi has not indicated that he played any role in the decision to return Besigye to Luzira.