Besigye discharged from prison hospital; caretaking sister dismissed

Jailed opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye has been discharged from the Luzira Prison hospital and returned to his prison cell.

This was revealed by his wife Winnie Byanyima, who raised fresh concerns about his recovery as his treason trial continues.

Byanyima said Besigye's sister Dr Olive Kobusingye, who had been helping care for him at the prison hospital, had also been sent away. She said her husband remained extremely weak and required family support.

Dr Kobusingye moved into Luzira Maximum Security Prison about two weeks ago to provide round-the-clock care as he recovered.

“I am hurt, angry and anxious,” Byanyima said in an update shortly after midnight on August 24, 2026.

Byanyima fears that conditions in prison could undermine Besigye's recovery and expressed concern that he could be taken back to court despite his condition.

There was no immediate public statement from the Uganda Prisons Service explaining the decision to discharge Besigye from the prison hospital or why his relatives were reportedly asked to leave.

Besigye's health deteriorated sharply after he collapsed during proceedings at the High Court in Kampala on July 29.

He was subsequently admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where his wife initially reported that he was unconscious, unable to speak and unresponsive.

He was later returned to Luzira, with Byanyima maintaining at the time that he remained unable to walk or speak without assistance. 

A psychiatric assessment conducted by Mulago specialists at Luzira Staff Hospital on August 16 subsequently provided more detail about his condition.

The assessment found that Besigye remained unable to speak or write following the collapse. Doctors instead communicated with him using verbal questions and a paper keyboard containing letters and numbers, which he pointed at to formulate answers.

The specialists nevertheless found that his comprehension appeared preserved. He was alert, oriented to person, place and time, and capable of following verbal questions.

His brain imaging showed chronic changes but no evidence of an acute infarct or haemorrhage. An EEG, however, showed features of diffuse encephalopathy.

The assessment did not conclusively establish his fitness to stand trial. While doctors found several cognitive functions preserved, they said further assessment was required to establish his ability to communicate preferences and effectively communicate with his defence lawyers.