Uganda builds pressure: Opposition leader Kizza Besigye threatens to die in custody

Kampala taz | Kizza Besigye is almost used to being beaten, tortured, shot at with water cannons or being sprayed with tear gas so much that his eyes go blind. In his almost 24-year career as the most important opposition leader in Uganda, there have been numerous moments in which the tall, strong and proud man looked as if he had just escaped death.

However, when the now 68-year-old was pushed into a courtroom in Kampala, Uganda's capital, in a wheelchair last week, emaciated, haggard and neglected, even the prison doctors warned that he absolutely needed medical attention. "There are only two ways Besigye will leave prison," threatened Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's army chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni: "in a coffin after we hang him, or on his knees when he begs for mercy."

Kizza Besigye and Yoweri Museveni have a long history. In the 1980s, Besigye, a trained doctor, joined the Ugandan rebel organization NRA (National Resistance Army) under the then young guerrilla leader Museveni. Besigye became Museveni's personal physician and held the military rank of colonel. When Museveni took power in Uganda in 1986, Besigye became Minister of the Interior. But then the two fell out.

In his private life, Museveni had asked for the hand of Winnie Byanyima, a beautiful daughter from an influential family. But her father was against it - instead she married Besiyge. Today, Byanyima is Secretary General of the UN AIDS control agency Unaids and an influential feminist throughout Africa.

Politically, Besigye turned against Museveni and ran against him for the first time in the 2001 elections. Since then, the two former companions have been mortal enemies. During his time as the leading candidate of the FDC (Forum for Democratic Change) party, Besigye was arrested so often in the past decades that it is difficult to keep count. Whether for "treason", "terrorism", "illegal possession of weapons" or "founding a rebellion" - he has already been charged numerous times. He was always released, hid in exile for a while and then started another comeback.

He had apparently planned to do this again, as elections are due to take place in Uganda at the beginning of next year. But now Besigye is in a high-security prison. In November, the opposition leader was kidnapped in Kenya and brought to Uganda by force. By the end of January, he had to answer to a military court for high treason, which carries the death penalty. According to the prosecution, he is suspected of having planned a conspiracy against Museveni in Kenya, Switzerland and Greece with other opponents of the regime. Audio recordings are circulating in which Besigye discusses arms deliveries. A trap set by the secret service?

Besigye's defense lawyers insisted that as a civilian - after all, he officially left the army 25 years ago - he should not be allowed to appear before a military tribunal. He went on hunger strike in protest. Uganda's highest court has now ruled that he must appear before a civilian court. At least he has been eating again since last week. But his wife Byanyima is worried that he could die in prison.