Minister Baryomunsi Denies Knowledge of Besigye’s alleged Arrest from Kenya

The Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi has denied knowledge about the alleged arrest of Former FDC President Rtd. Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye from Kenya.  

This is after the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Executive director, Winnie Byanyima called out the Ugandan government to immediately release her detained husband.

Through her personal X handle (formerly twitter)  Ms. Byanyima said  Besigye was kidnapped last Saturday in Nairobi at Hon Martha Karua’s book launch.

Ms. Byanyima added that she was  reliably informed  that  her husband was detained and  tortured  from a military jail in Kampala.

“I request the govt of Uganda to release my husband Dr Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately. He was kidnapped last Saturday while he was in Nairobi for Hon Martha Karua’s book launch. I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala,” she said in the post.

She further  questioned the rationale for holding   Besigye in a  military jail despite him  not  being a soldier.

“We his family and his lawyers demand to see him. He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Twitter post by Winnie Byanyima.

In response , the Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi has said his office  is not aware of Besigye’s arrest, though he also did not dismiss the allegations. 

“I have also seen the tweet (by Winnie Byanyima) and I can neither confirm or dismiss the allegations” he said in a media interview from Soroti City. 

Dr. Baryomunsi said he would try to find out where Besigye is being held, and ensure that he is availed justice in case there are any specific charges against him. 

“We are going to find out if he is detained, and make sure that he is properly charged in case there’s any case against him” Baryomunsi said. 

This also comes after the Opposition Party National Unity Party (NUP) held a function last weekend to commemorate a number of their supporters allegedly held in military detention centres, without trial.

NUP  alleges that a number of their supporters were picked  from their homes and taken into Military detention facilities without clear charges.