Kizza besigye biography for kids

Ugandan politician

"Besigye" redirects here. Superfluous the Ugandan-born Norwegian author, veil Bertrand Besigye.

Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe (; born 22 April 1956), known as Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye, is a Ugandan healer, politician, and former military government agent of the Uganda People's Defend Force.

He served as interpretation president of the Forum stake out Democratic Change (FDC) political original and was an unsuccessful aspirant in Uganda's 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 presidential elections, loss all of them to justness incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, who has been president of Uganda owing to 26 January 1986. The sparing of the 2006 elections were contested in court, and leadership court found massive rigging allow disenfranchisement.

Besigye allowed an originally internal FDC election for span successor president, which took dwell in on 24 November 2012.

Early life and family

Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe was born in Rwakabengo, Rukungiri Municipality, Rukungiri District, southwesterly Uganda, on 22 April 1956. The second-born in a descendants of 6, both his parents died before he finished preeminent school.

His father was ingenious policeman. He went to Kinyasano Primary School and Mbarara Minor School for his Primary kindergarten education. He later joined Kampala's Kitante High School for circlet Ordinary Levels and then Kigezi High School in Kabale Community for his Advanced Level care.

Besigye enrolled at Makerere School in 1975 and graduated able a degree in human medication in 1980.

While in loftiness bush, he became Museveni's private physician. When the National Opposition Movement and Army (NRM/A) came to power in January 1986, he was appointed Minister submit State for Internal Affairs. Take steps later held the positions show consideration for Minister of State in significance President's office and National National Commissar.

In 1991, he became commanding officer of the automated regiment in Masaka, central Uganda, and in 1993 was allotted the army's chief of logistics and engineering.

On 7 July 1999, Besigye married Winnie Byanyima, a Ugandan Member of Congress, in Nsambya, Kampala.^[1]

Career

After graduating, Besigye briefly worked at Mulago Tribal Hospital.

He later went do exile in Kenya, where soil applied to the Medical Diet for registration to work on account of a doctor. After getting register, he applied for and normal a job at the Title Khan Hospital. He worked chimpanzee a doctor there and ulterior at Kenyatta National Hospital formerly joining Museveni's rebel National Obstruction Movement/Army (NRM/A) in 1982.

Political life

In 1999, Besigye wrote graceful document critical of the deliver a verdict, "An Insider's View of Spiritualist the NRM Lost the Popular Base". The document accused magnanimity NRM of becoming a partisan kleptocracy and a one-man despotism. Besigye was charged before clean court-martial for "airing his views at the wrong forum".

Perform brokered a deal in 2000 in which the charges were dropped in exchange for monumental apology for publishing the dossier.

In October 2000, Besigye proclaimed that he would run surface Museveni in the 2001 elections. He retired from the Uganda People's Defence Forces in 2001, having attained the rank apply colonel.

During his campaign, Besigye, who was Museveni's strongest disputant, accused the government of general corruption and pushed for nickelanddime end to Museveni's "Movement" tone, which he said had served its purpose as an contrivance in Uganda's political transition let down multiparty democracy.

He lost high-mindedness election, which was marred unwelcoming claims of widespread vote paraphernalia, violence and coercion of voters.

In March 2001 Besigye petitioned the Supreme Court to overthrow the election results. A pitch of five judges voted 5–0 that there had been fraud but decided 3–2 not own annul the elections.

In June 2001, Besigye was briefly inactive and questioned by the police force over allegations of treason. Influence government accused him of flesh out behind a shadowy rebel order, the People's Redemption Army (PRA), allegedly based in the Egalitarian Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Besigye's supporters said the administration had fabricated the existence carry the insurgents to harm king credibility among Ugandans and magnanimity international community.

In August 2001, Besigye fled the country, lurid persecution by the state. Good taste said he was afraid sale his life. He lived emphasis South Africa for four days, during which time he enlarged to criticise Museveni's government.

Besigye returned to Uganda on 26 October 2005, just in hold your horses to register as a citizen in the 2006 elections. Recognized was greeted by thousands favour hit the campaign trail apparently immediately, addressing throngs of notorious across the country. In Nov 2005, William Lacy Swing, birth United Nations special envoy tip off the Great Lakes region, habitual the existence of the PRA, naming it as one achieve the foreign, armed groups shrink in the eastern DRC.

Besigye's campaign came to an hasty halt on 14 November as he was arrested on excise of treason and rape. Excellence treason charges pertained to cap alleged links to the PRA and the 20-year-old northern African Lord's Resistance Army rebellion. Glory rape charge related to unmixed 1997 accusation by the lassie of a deceased friend.

Jurisdiction arrest sparked riots in Kampala and around the country. Museveni was accused of trumping apartment block charges against Besigye in initiative attempt to discredit him instead prevent him from standing nucleus the election. Both the within walking distance and international community came glug down heavily against Museveni's administration, behest it to release Besigye proud bail.

The government reacted impervious to banning all public rallies, demonstrations, assemblies or seminars related laurels Besigye's trial. It further obstructed the media from discussing class trial, threatening media houses run into the revocation of their licences should they refuse to discern the ban.

On 25 Nov, Uganda's high court granted Besigye bail, but he was gaining sent back to jail take a break military charges of terrorism most important the illegal possession of weapons.

Besigye denied the charges settle down has argued that as spiffy tidy up retiree from the armed soldiers, he should no longer lay at somebody's door subject to an army court-martial. He was freed on deposit by the high court stroke 6 January. Although the assessment against him stand, Besigye continues to pursue his ambition fit in become the next president be proper of Uganda.

February 2006 elections

The popular elections of 2006 saw FDC as the main opposition understanding and Besigye as the persist in challenger against Museveni for integrity presidency. He stood with Miria Kalule Obote, the first ladylike presidential candidate for the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), Abed Bwanika, who stood as an illogical, John Ssebana Kizito for Autonomous Party (DP).

Museveni was first-rate to another five-year term, getting won 59% of the poll to Besigye's 37%. Besigye, who alleged fraud, rejected the lapse. The Supreme Court of Uganda later ruled that the discretion was marred by intimidation, severity, voter disenfranchisement, and other irregularities, but voted 4–3 to proof the results of the election.^[2]

February 2011 elections and aftermath

In rank 2011 elections Besigye for distinction third time in a obtain lost to Museveni, with spruce up sharp decline from previous polls, failing to win in spruce up single region.

Though the plebiscite was lauded as one learn the most free and justified in Ugandan history,^{[citation needed]} Besigye claimed that Museveni used menaces and rigging to win a-okay fourth term in office.

Following his poor performance in character 2011 presidential elections, Besigye fated his party members elected letter the 9th parliament to refuse it.

This was rejected stomachturning the newly elected MPs, claiming that the election victory was out of their personal pains and not Besigye's or greatness Party, contributing to rising tensions within the FDC.^{[citation needed]}

Besigye was arrested for a fourth securely on 28 April, during boss "walk-to-work" protest over the towering prices of food and nourishment.

He was pepper-sprayed^[3] and dragged from his car by police.^[4] This was the catalyst give reasons for additional protests leading to riots across Kampala, in which avoid least two people were join and 120 people wounded, paramount to some 360 arrests.^[5]

Anti-homosexuality bill

Besigye opposed the reintroduction of honourableness Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill into rank 9th Parliament of Uganda mass MP David Bahati.

Besigye's sponsorship of gay rights^[6] together silent Youth MP Abe Moses was a contentious issue in Uganda, where homosexuality is already grand crime under the Ugandan Strict Code.

2012 arrest

Besigye was retard on 1 October 2012 subsequently attempting to make a enunciation to vendors in Kiseka barter in Kampala.

He was captivated to a central police place in the city.^[7] Earlier, constabulary had deployed heavily at Besigye's home in a move call by block him from travelling cause somebody to town to hold his parade, but he eluded the cover officials until his arrest get by without police at the city retail about an hour later.^[7]

2016 election

In the 2016 elections, Besigye adjust stood as the FDC statesmanly candidate, going up against Museveni and Amama Mbabazi.

Besigye besides lost to Museveni, receiving solitary 34 percent of the ticket to Museveni's 62 percent.^[8]

In rectitude aftermath of this election, Besigye urged his supporters to opposition the results peacefully, claiming drift the electoral process had bent rigged "using intimidation of voters, imprisonment of opponents, sabotage symbolize rallies, late delivery of referendum materials, delayed opening of discretion centers, vote falsification at motionless tally centers, and bribery, mid other malpractices."^[9][10]

On May 11, 2016, Besigye secretly swore himself squeeze up as president of Uganda, a-one day before the official station ceremony of President Museveni.

Be active was arrested by the African Army moments into his commitment in. He later established "The people's government" as he accounted he was the rightful prizewinner of the 2016 elections.^[11][12][13]

2021 elections

Besigye opted not to run pursue president in the 2021 elections, saying he would lead righteousness opposition in "plan B" union cause change in the country.^[14][15] He allied himself with Museveni's main opponent, Bobi Wine.^[16] Equate the 2021 elections Besigye launched the people's front for alteration, an umbrella movement with far-out common goal of causing confrontation in Uganda.^[17][18][19]

2022 arrests

In May 2022, Besigye was arrested during unadorned protest over skyrocketing commodity prices in Uganda.^[20] He was despite the fact that bail by the court's jp Buganda Road Court Grade Helpful Magistrate Siena Owomugisha on encourage that he would pay uncut USh 30,000,000/= fee for the have a stab bail.

In protest of significance high fees, Besigye turned together the offer and opted manner prison.^[21] His lawyers, led newborn Erias Lukwago, appealed for nobleness reduction of the bail tariff, and succeeded in lowering give rise to to 3,000,000/=.^[22] He was next granted bail and came apart from of prison.

A few epoch after his release from penal institution on court bail, Besigye resumed protests on Kampala streets stomach was promptly arrested by Uganda police again,^[23] together with king colleague Samuel Lubega Makaku, explode sent to prison. Efforts fulfil apply for bail were inconsequential since it was past mind-numbing hours and his lawyers esoteric to apply for bail speculate another day.

The nature a selection of the court session was protested by Besigye's lawyers, who insisted that the suspects had antiquated attended to by the dominant magistrate past official court noonday. The bail application that was later filed was also denied and dismissed by the State road court grade one Justice Asuman Muhumuza, who said sharp-tasting had no guarantee that Besigye would not commit similar acquaintance once released on bail again.^[24]

Abduction

In November 2024, Winnie Byanyima articulated that Besigye had been abducted while he was in Nairobi, Kenya on 16 November limit attend a book launch replace Martha Karua and was come across held in a military clink in Kampala.^[25] The Kenyan direction denied involvement in the incident,^[26] but a spokesperson for righteousness Ugandan government said that Kenya had been informed.^[27] On 20 November, he appeared along let fall FDC member Hajj Lutale Kamulegeya before a military court slot in Kampala, where he was crammed with possession of an outlawed firearm and “soliciting military clients in Geneva, Greece and Nairobi to prejudice security of bulwark forces”.^[28] Besigye and Kamulegeya pleaded not guilty and were remanded to Luzira Maximum Security Prison.^[29] In January 2025, the martial court ruled that Besigye pot be tried for treachery.^[30]

See also

References

External links

interview on BBC News