Trending 
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni prevented a church mass planned to honour opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who has been imprisoned since 2024 on treason charges, Winnie Byanyima, Besigye’s wife, told AFP on Monday.
Besigye was abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November 2024 and appeared days later at a military court in Uganda.
Byanyima said the Archbishop of Uganda, Paul Ssemogerere, informed her that Museveni had ordered the cancellation of the mass, for political reasons that required investigation.
The service, planned at Rubaga Cathedral to pray for Besigye’s health and release, was cancelled even as some worshippers had already gathered.
“I was called… by the Archbishop his grace Paul Ssemogerere and he told me that he had received a call from president Museveni asking him to cancel the mass…,” said Winnie Byanyima, who is also the executive director of UNAIDS.
“He (Museveni) said it was political and he needs to first investigate,” she added.
Besigye, a former personal doctor to Museveni and his long-time political rival, has been jailed for around 15 months and has faced health challenges, with repeated bail denials. Human rights groups and opposition figures link his abduction and prosecution to Uganda’s recent presidential election.
The 81-year-old Museveni, in power since 1986, contested the election for a seventh term amid an internet blackout and widespread repression of opposition.
Following the polls, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son, welcomed the killing of 30 opposition members and the arrest of 2,000 others.
Besigye’s main challenger in the election, Bobi Wine, has remained in hiding since the vote.
