The Christmas ban on visitors at Luzira Prison for inmates, including detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, has drawn sharp criticism from his wife, who describes it as "cruel". Authorities defend the measure as a necessary precaution to prevent security breaches.
Detained Ugandan Politician Kizza Besigye's Christmas Visit Ban Sparks Outrage
Detained Ugandan Politician Kizza Besigye's Christmas Visit Ban Sparks Outrage
Winnie Byanyima, wife of detain Kizza Besigye, criticizes prison visitor ban during festive season, highlighting concerns for his safety.
In a move that has incited significant public outcry, the wife of detained Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has condemned a newly enacted ban forbidding prisoners from receiving visitors during Christmas. Winnie Byanyima, the current head of the United Nations organization fighting HIV and Aids, characterized the restriction as "cruel and inhumane" amidst ongoing concerns for her husband's safety while incarcerated.
Besigye, aged 68, stands accused in a military court of possessing firearms and attempting to acquire weapons abroad. However, he adamantly denies the allegations against him. His trial has faced delays, now pushed to commence next month - a frustrating development for his family, especially with the Christmas season approaching.
The ban, which prison officials assert is meant to stave off "potential security lapses," prohibits inmates from receiving visitors for a span of seven days beginning on Christmas Eve. Amidst this ban, Byanyima has resolved to camp outside Luzira Prison on Christmas Day, determined to see her husband and personally deliver him food. "I’m not leaving Besigye’s food at the gate," she stated, expressing a deep mistrust of the prison authorities. "Maybe I will take a tent and sleep there… if that’s what they want," she added, indicating her unwavering commitment to her husband's wellbeing.
Kizza Besigye has a long history of political opposition against current President Yoweri Museveni, who has maintained his grip on power since 1986. Although Besigye has not participated actively in elections for several years, he reignited public discourse last month after being forcibly returned to Uganda from Kenya, where he was reportedly abducted.
Despite a brief initial ban on visitations of nearly a month, prison authorities trimmed it down to seven days, citing the festive season as a period of heightened potential for escapades among inmates. Frank Baine Mayanja, the Uganda Prisons Services spokesperson, explained that Christmas typically incites a desire among prisoners to escape the prison environment.
In addition to the visitor ban, concerns have been raised over the recent change in leadership at Luzira prison, with Ms. Byanyima questioning the decision to appoint a "young and inexperienced" official to oversee the facility, suggesting a possible lack of capability regarding inmate care and safety.
Mayanja rebutted Byanyima's doubts, assuring the public of their mechanisms for ensuring inmate welfare, and encouraged her to exhibit trust in the prison system. "We have the means and mechanism of keeping him alive," Mayanja asserted, while validating the need for the military judiciary in determining cases involving firearms, reflecting Museveni's long-standing policies on law enforcement.
Besigye's political history includes multiple charges, ranging from treason to rape, which he has previously claimed are politically motivated. This current detainment marks the second instance he has spent Christmas in prison, having been previously arrested in 2005 amid political rally activities.
As political tension remains prevalent in Uganda, the ongoing limitations on dissenting voices and the government's grip on opposition figures evoke continued scrutiny regarding Museveni’s administration and the broader implications for civil liberties in the nation.
Besigye, aged 68, stands accused in a military court of possessing firearms and attempting to acquire weapons abroad. However, he adamantly denies the allegations against him. His trial has faced delays, now pushed to commence next month - a frustrating development for his family, especially with the Christmas season approaching.
The ban, which prison officials assert is meant to stave off "potential security lapses," prohibits inmates from receiving visitors for a span of seven days beginning on Christmas Eve. Amidst this ban, Byanyima has resolved to camp outside Luzira Prison on Christmas Day, determined to see her husband and personally deliver him food. "I’m not leaving Besigye’s food at the gate," she stated, expressing a deep mistrust of the prison authorities. "Maybe I will take a tent and sleep there… if that’s what they want," she added, indicating her unwavering commitment to her husband's wellbeing.
Kizza Besigye has a long history of political opposition against current President Yoweri Museveni, who has maintained his grip on power since 1986. Although Besigye has not participated actively in elections for several years, he reignited public discourse last month after being forcibly returned to Uganda from Kenya, where he was reportedly abducted.
Despite a brief initial ban on visitations of nearly a month, prison authorities trimmed it down to seven days, citing the festive season as a period of heightened potential for escapades among inmates. Frank Baine Mayanja, the Uganda Prisons Services spokesperson, explained that Christmas typically incites a desire among prisoners to escape the prison environment.
In addition to the visitor ban, concerns have been raised over the recent change in leadership at Luzira prison, with Ms. Byanyima questioning the decision to appoint a "young and inexperienced" official to oversee the facility, suggesting a possible lack of capability regarding inmate care and safety.
Mayanja rebutted Byanyima's doubts, assuring the public of their mechanisms for ensuring inmate welfare, and encouraged her to exhibit trust in the prison system. "We have the means and mechanism of keeping him alive," Mayanja asserted, while validating the need for the military judiciary in determining cases involving firearms, reflecting Museveni's long-standing policies on law enforcement.
Besigye's political history includes multiple charges, ranging from treason to rape, which he has previously claimed are politically motivated. This current detainment marks the second instance he has spent Christmas in prison, having been previously arrested in 2005 amid political rally activities.
As political tension remains prevalent in Uganda, the ongoing limitations on dissenting voices and the government's grip on opposition figures evoke continued scrutiny regarding Museveni’s administration and the broader implications for civil liberties in the nation.
