The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has warned of a serious decline in the health of its leader, Kizza Besigye, who remains in detention. In a statement on X on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the party said Besigye is seriously unwell and accused authorities of downplaying the situation.

Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine had described the overnight transfer of Besigye to a medical facility as a routine check. The PFF rejected this claim, saying the move signals a medical emergency. According to reports, prison authorities transferred Besigye from Luzira Maximum Security Prison late on Monday night to a facility at Bugolobi Village Mall in Kampala, under heavy security.

“Despite the claims made by Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine suggesting that Dr Besigye was merely taken for a ‘routine check’, we want to inform the nation and the world of the truth: Our leader is seriously unwell,” the PFF said.

The party added that characterising the transfer as routine is a blatant attempt to mask the physical toll of his continued detention.

The statement also criticised Justice Baguma for insisting Besigye appear in court while he is in a weakened state. The PFF called this requirement a cruel and calculated move.

Besigye faces health crisis

Besigye, a retired colonel and veteran opposition figure, has faced repeated arrests over the years. He has been in custody since November 2024 on treason charges linked to a plot to overthrow the government.

He and his supporters reject the claims, calling them politically motivated. His detention followed his abduction from Nairobi, Kenya, where he was attending a book launch.

The party drew attention to the human cost of prolonged detention. It referred to the death of Besigye’s brother, Saasi, which it links to state neglect.

“We cannot ignore the shadows of the past. We remember the tragic fate of our leader’s brother, Saasi, and we refuse to let Dr Besigye be subjected to the same pattern of neglect and state-sponsored hardship.”

The PFF highlighted Besigye’s long service in Uganda’s struggle for change.

“Freedom has a price, and Dr Besigye has carried that burden for decades. However, his life and health are not negotiable. We will not be silenced while our leader’s wellbeing is put at risk,” the party said.

On January 19, the PFF had already warned that Besigye’s health had reached a “critical and deteriorating state”. It demanded unrestricted access for his personal doctors and family.