Detained Ugandan politician wife don condemn di Christmas Day visit ban

Di wife of detained Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye don denounce as “cruel and inhumane” di ban on prisoners receiving visitors for Christmas Day.

Besigye, 68, don dey charged for military court wit possession of pistols and attempting to purchase weapons abroad, which him don deny. His trial don dey delayed until next month.

Prison authorities don com talk say as part of di measures to take prevent “potential security lapses”, inmates no go dey allowed to receive visitors for seven days, starting from di Christmas Eve.

Besigye wife Winnie Byanyima, di head of di UN’s organization to tackle HIV and Aids, talk say she plan to camp outside di Luzira Prison so she fit see her husband and give am food for Christmas Day.

She talk for report say her husband remain “strong and persevering” for inside one tiny little room” behind six prison gates, but she dey worried say him fit dey “harmed”.

“I no dey leave Besigye’s food for di gate as dem take direct.”

“I go go dere myself and see my husband bicos I no trust them wit him even for a single day,” Ms Byanyima talk.

“Maybe I go take tent and sleep for dere if dat na wetin dem want,” she add.

Besigye don contest and lose four presidential elections against President Yoweri Museveni, wey don dey power since 1986.

But di veteran opposition politician don dey less active for politics for di recent years, and no contest di 2021 election.

Besigye, however, return to di headlines last month afta him dey dramatically abducted while visiting Kenya and forcibly taken to Uganda.

Him dey then charged along wit an aide, Obeid Lutale. Him, too, don deny di charges.

Di military court extend Besigye detention until 7 January, dash di hopes of his family say he go dey home for Christmas.

Uganda Prisons Services spokesperson Frank Baine Mayanja com tell di local media say di seven-day ban for visitors dey intended to tighten security during di festive season, and to take prevent escapes.

“Christmas dey cause excitement and majority of di prisoners no want to celebrate dia Christmas inside, dem must dey plan on how to do prison break and go outside,” Mr Mayanja tell NTV Uganda.

Di Prison Services initially announce di ban of almost a month for prison visits, but then reduce di ban to seven days.

Ms Byanyima tell di news men say she dey also concerned about di recent change of leadership for Luzira prison, question why a “young and inexperienced” official dey put in charge of am.

“E dey very suspicious and make me doubt dia intentions,” she talk.

“I no trust him Besigye’s life wit dose wey arrest am. I go find as I fit take dey see am as often as I fit,” Ms Byanyima add.

Mr Mayanja talk say di changes for di leadership na “administrative issue” and no get anything to do wit Besigye.

Him add say Ms Byanyima suppose trust di authorities to take care of her husband bicos “we get di means and mechanism of keeping him alive”.

“I think she suppose let us do our job,” Mr Mayanja talk.

Dis na di second time Besigye, wey don get run-ins wit Museveni’s government for di last two decades, dey spend di Christmas holidays for prison.

For 2005, dem bin arrest am while him dey  return from political rally ahead of di 2006 presidential polls and charged wit treason. Di charges dey thrown out by di courts.

Him dey also charged wit rape for separate case. Di charges bin later dropped. Him talk say all di allegations dey part of campaign of political persecution.

For di latest case, Besigye don object dem try am for military court, talk say him suppose dey face trial for civilian court if any case dey against am.

Museveni don defend di use of military courts to try civilians.

Him talk say any crime involving gun dey dealt wit for military court to ensure di kontri stability as civilian courts dey take too long to deal wit cases.

Hundreds of civilians don dey tried for Uganda’s military courts, even though di Constitutional Court don rule against di practice.

Opposition parties don frequently complain about restrictions for di political activities, allege say Museveni dey fear political competition.

Museveni supporters deny di allegation, and talk say him don maintain stability during him rule of almost 40 years.

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