Gen Salim Saleh, President Yoweri Museveni’s younger brother and coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, has revealed that he intervened to secure medical treatment for detained opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye after finding him in a condition that raised fears for his life.
Saleh said his involvement began after he saw a social media post by his nephew, Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, suggesting that he could play a role in addressing Besigye’s legal troubles.
He disclosed this while addressing more than 100 Members of Parliament, predominantly from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), who had visited factories at Namunkekera Liao Shen Industrial Park in Kapeeka, Nakaseke District.
“I saw the post and contacted General Muhoozi and asked him if he was serious. He actually didn’t know that it was an opportunity to reconnect with an old friend,” Saleh said.
He explained that he later visited Besigye and was alarmed by his deteriorating health, prompting him to arrange for the opposition politician to receive treatment at the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in Lubowa.
“The sick bed Besigye is in right now is the same bed I would be in if I was also sick,” Saleh said, drawing applause from the legislators.
Besigye was transferred from Luzira Prison to JCRC in August alongside former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago for medical attention. The Uganda Prisons Service confirmed the transfer on August 31.
Although Saleh declined to confirm reports that he was spearheading negotiations to secure Besigye’s release, his remarks suggested that he remained optimistic about the possibility of resolving longstanding political disagreements.
“We are trying to help young people not to inherit generational quarrels. I hope we can convince each other in the next three or six months to get the Uganda we want,” he said.
Reports in early October indicated that Saleh was coordinating a group of prominent individuals to engage opposition representatives over Besigye’s continued detention. However, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) denied negotiating with him over the matter, while Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, also rejected claims that negotiations were underway.
Besigye has been on remand since November 2024, following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, and subsequent transfer to Uganda to face treason charges alongside his aide, Hajji Obeid Lutale, and retired UPDF officer Capt Denis Oola.
His case is before the High Court Criminal Division, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Baguma. The proceedings have been complicated by concerns about his health and disputes over his legal representation.
Besigye collapsed during a court session on July 29, 2026. On August 18, Justice Baguma ruled that the trial could proceed in his absence after considering a medical assessment and his repeated non-attendance.
