My Plea to the Ugandan Government: Release My Father Kizza Besigye from Illegal Detention
My name is Adam Ampa Besigye, the firstborn son of Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye. I draw wisdom from the words of Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi: “Knowledge is knowing what to say, wisdom is knowing when to say it.” After silently observing the injustices unfolding around me, I can no longer remain silent while my father endures relentless persecution.
This statement is directed at President Yoweri Museveni and his son, CDF Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. You are directly responsible for the illegal detention of my father. You will be held accountable for anything that happens to him under your commands. The Ugandan government is holding my father hostage without a valid remand warrant or court orders, as the jurisdiction of the General Court Martial has been invalidated. Should any harm come to him during this unlawful detention, President Museveni, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and the Ugandan government must be held fully responsible.
I’ve witnessed the derogatory and dehumanizing comments made by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba on social media, which expose a deliberate, politically motivated plot to end my father’s life. These statements are not only disturbing, but they confirm the sinister intentions behind my father’s prolonged illegal detention.
Furthermore, I categorically reject the false accusations that my father planned to harm Muhoozi’s family. My father has dedicated his life to fighting for the freedom and well-being of all Ugandans, including those who now falsely accuse him.
There have also been attempts to rewrite history, falsely claiming that my father did not treat President Museveni and his men during the war. This is an outright lie. If not for my father’s selfless medical efforts during the five-year war, many—including President Museveni—would not be alive today. To persecute him now is the highest form of betrayal.
Currently, my father is protesting his illegal detention through a hunger strike, which is severely compromising his health. The government observes his condition with indifference, and even apparent delight, particularly reflecting the cruelty of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Though some prison officials dispute this, my father’s frail appearance at Buganda Road Court and the High Court speaks volumes about the pain he is enduring.
The tears I shed in secret reflect the deep emotional pain and anxiety I’ve endured during this ordeal. My father is a fighter, but even the strongest warriors have limits. He is the very definition of resilience.
I am deeply grateful to my father’s entire legal team—both local and international lawyers—who have stood by him despite the relentless persecution. Led by Counsels Erias Lukwago and Martha Karua, you have shown unwavering dedication, even while facing intimidation and torture at the hands of state security officials. Your courage and commitment to justice do not go unnoticed.
I also want to thank my stepmother, Winnie Byanyima, and the entire Byanyima family for their unwavering support. Your strength has been a source of comfort and encouragement, not just for my father, but for all of us who love him.
I would also like to thank opposition political parties and leaders who, despite our differences, have shown concern for my father during this time. This moment reminds us that we must stand united in the face of injustice—united we stand, divided we fall.
To my surprise, many religious leaders have remained silent on these injustices, despite my father’s long history of engagement with them. Since my father’s fallout with the NRM, the government has repeatedly attempted to eliminate him—dating back to when he first ran for president in 2001. From the Walk-to-Work protests to unlawful detentions, poison attempts, and continuous persecution, my father has endured it all.
As a child, I’ve never truly experienced parental love from my father in the way others might. Not because he didn’t love me, but because he was constantly persecuted, followed, tear-gassed, imprisoned, exiled, or forced into hiding. President Museveni and his son—would you want this for any Ugandan citizen? Would you want your own children to grow up without their father because he stood up for what is right?
I ask you—those in power—if you would do anything to protect your father from harm, do you think I, in my right mind, wouldn’t do the same for mine?
Despite the emotional toll, I remain grateful. This ordeal has shown me who truly stands with us and who does not. I try to stay strong, to maintain faith, prayer, and hope during these dark times.
To those who continue to support my father, I thank you for your concern and solidarity. Your voices matter. Your unwavering support gives me strength.
I humbly plead with the Ugandan government: End this injustice. Release my father Kizza Besigye and all other illegally detained political prisoners. End this inhumane persecution before it is too late.
Let us imagine a better Uganda—a country we all call home. No citizen should have to live in exile. I ask you to make history—not of oppression, but of justice for the country we all love.
With sincere grace,
Adam Ampa Besigye
