President Yoweri Museveni has blocked a planned church mass intended to honor jailed opposition figure Kizza Besigye, according to Besigye’s wife.
Speaking to Reporters on Monday, Winnie Byanyima said she was informed by Paul Ssemogerere that the president had personally requested the cancellation of the service. The mass had been scheduled to take place at Rubaga Cathedral in the capital, Kampala.
Byanyima said the president described the planned service as political and indicated that investigations were needed before it could proceed. The cancellation came even as some worshippers had already gathered at the cathedral to pray for Besigye’s health and release.
Besigye, a longtime critic of Museveni and once his personal physician, has been detained since late 2024. He was reportedly abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November that year before resurfacing days later at a military court in Uganda, where he faced treason charges. He has remained in custody for about 15 months and has allegedly suffered health complications during his detention. Courts have repeatedly denied him bail.
Human rights organizations and opposition figures argue that Besigye’s arrest and prosecution are politically motivated and linked to the recent presidential election. During the polls, Museveni, 81, sought a seventh term in office, extending a rule that began in 1986. The election period was marked by a nationwide internet blackout and widespread reports of opposition repression.
Byanyima recently accused the president of wanting Besigye to “die in prison,” condemning the cancellation of the church service as further evidence of shrinking civic space. She said the decision demonstrated that the state could interfere with citizens’ right to worship without consequence.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba — Museveni’s son — drew controversy after publicly praising the killing of 30 opposition members and the arrest of 2,000 others in the aftermath of the election.
Museveni’s main challenger, Bobi Wine, has reportedly gone into hiding following the vote, as tensions remain high in the East African nation.
