Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye collapsed during a court session in Kampala on Wednesday while standing trial on treason charges.
A senior official of the People’s Front for Freedom, Besigye’s political party, confirmed the incident, saying the 70-year-old was taken away in an ambulance after collapsing.
Court proceedings were subsequently postponed as prison guards moved to assist the 70-year-old opposition figure.
Besigye has been in custody since November 2024 after he was arrested in Kenya and returned to Uganda. He is facing treason charges, which he and his supporters have described as politically motivated.
The former presidential candidate has been a prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni and has challenged him in several elections.
Besigye and his co-accused have denied the allegations. His repeated applications for bail have also been rejected.
His detention has attracted criticism from local and international rights groups, with concerns raised about his health and access to medical care.
Amnesty International said earlier this year that Besigye was seriously ill and required specialised medical attention outside detention conditions.
Officials from Uganda’s judiciary and prison authorities had not immediately commented on his condition or provided details about where he was taken.
(The Whistler)
