Martha Karua has renewed pressure on Uganda’s government over the continued detention of opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his former lawyer Erias Lukwago, questioning why President Yoweri Museveni’s administration continues to hold them as their health deteriorates.
The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader spoke out on Thursday, September 3, 2026, amid growing concern over Besigye’s condition and the reported frailty of Lukwago, who has also been jailed after being arrested and charged in connection with Besigye’s case.
Karua said Besigye’s long stay in detention had not only separated him from his family and supporters but had also affected those who have stood by him, including members of his legal team.
“I have seen what this prolonged detention is doing to Dr Kizza Besigye,” Karua said in a post on X. "I have watched him spend his life standing up for his country, while his freedom, his health and even his access to those standing with him have been increasingly restricted.”
She said the situation had become even more painful because Lukwago, who has represented Besigye in court, was also behind bars after being taken into custody.
“It has reached those standing beside him, his counsel, Erias Lukwago, who was abducted and later charged,” she said. “That is deeply painful to witness.”
Lukwago, a former Kampala Lord Mayor and part of Besigye’s legal team, was arrested in June and subsequently charged with misprision of treason. He has denied the accusations.
His detention has unfolded as Besigye continues to fight treason charges in Uganda, with the veteran opposition politician’s health becoming an increasingly serious issue during his time in custody.
Karua also raised questions over Besigye’s ability to access lawyers of his choice, arguing that the restrictions were coming at a time when his physical condition required greater attention.
“What is President Museveni and his government afraid of?” she asked. "If Dr Besigye’s case is just, why make it harder for him to have the lawyers of his choice and keep him behind bars while his health is failing, separated from his family and those fighting for his rights?”
Besigye, 70, has been held since November 2024 after he was abducted while in Kenya and later taken to Uganda. His detention has since attracted attention beyond Uganda, with the case developing into a major regional human rights issue.
The opposition figure’s condition worsened on July 29 when he collapsed while appearing before a court in Kampala. He was taken to hospital for treatment and later returned to Luzira Prison.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima, has on several occasions spoken about his deteriorating health and demanded that he be allowed to receive specialised medical care outside Uganda.
On August 28, Byanyima disclosed that Besigye had been moved from Luzira Prison to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) after his condition became worse.
“After dark, Dr Kizza Besigye was moved from Luzira Prison to JCRC Hospital today. He is still very weak. He struggles to walk, speak, write or even hold anything steadily,” she said.
The Uganda Prisons Service confirmed that Besigye and Lukwago had been taken out of Luzira for medical treatment.
According to prison authorities, the two were stable and their transfer for treatment was made in line with a court order and advice from medical experts.
The question of where Besigye should receive treatment was also addressed in court on Wednesday, September 2. A Ugandan High Court judge rejected a request to have him transferred to a medical facility of his choice.
The judge found that prison authorities had not said they were unable to manage his condition. The court instead directed that Besigye’s health be closely monitored for three weeks before considering any further steps.
Karua’s intervention comes against the backdrop of her continued involvement in Besigye’s legal and human rights fight following his disappearance from Nairobi and transfer to Uganda.
Her role in the matter has gone beyond legal representation and advocacy, involving efforts linked to deportations, court battles and wider scrutiny of the treatment of the Ugandan opposition leader.
On June 22, 2026, Karua travelled to Uganda to observe court proceedings and the bail ruling involving Lukwago.
She did not get to attend the proceedings after immigration officials at Entebbe International Airport revoked her clearance, took away her mobile phones and detained her incommunicado before forcibly sending her back to Nairobi.
Karua’s latest comments have now placed fresh attention on the continued imprisonment of Besigye and Lukwago, as questions persist over their health, access to legal support and the handling of their cases by the Ugandan authorities.