By Kabuye Ronald
Former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura has revealed that opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye is undergoing rehabilitation and learning to walk and speak again following his collapse in court.
Nyanjula, who recently visited Besigye at a hospital in Lubowa, said the four-time presidential candidate was unable to speak and had difficulty holding objects because his hands remained weak and shaky.
Besigye is hospitalised under the custody of the Uganda Prisons authorities after collapsing during proceedings at the High Court Criminal Division, where he is facing treason charges before Justice Emmanuel Baguma.
In a statement recounting her visit, Nyanjura said she was deeply moved by Besigye’s condition, which she described as a difficult stage in his recovery.
“Three months since he collapsed, I finally had the opportunity to see and meet my leader, Kizza Besigye!” she wrote.
She said she had imagined several things about his appearance and condition before the meeting but was heartbroken to discover that he was being taught how to walk and speak again.
According to Nyanjura, a speech therapist was using a word chart containing simple words such as “dog” and “boy” to help Besigye practise pronunciation, although he had not yet succeeded in speaking the words.
She added that Besigye was using an alphabetical chart to communicate by tapping letters that visitors could piece together to understand his message.
Despite the difficulties, Nyanjura said Besigye maintained his sense of humour during their conversation, laughing when she misinterpreted the letters he tapped on the chart.
“When I ran out of excuses for my mistakes, I reminded him that my eyes aren’t fully functional, which is why I wear glasses,” she said.
Nyanjura added that Besigye had also learned to use sign language whenever he became tired of communicating through the letter chart.
Although he was not yet able to speak, she said he could hear well and demonstrated sharp mental awareness by spelling out his thoughts through the chart.
She further revealed that Besigye did not clearly remember what happened during the court session in which he collapsed. Instead, he remembered waking up days later in the intensive care unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Nyanjura said she was reminded of the extent of his physical challenges when she offered him a bottle of water and realised that he could not hold it independently because his hands lacked strength and remained shaky.
Despite his condition, she said Besigye appeared mentally alert and continued to communicate messages of resilience to his supporters.
According to Nyanjura, Besigye remarked that the country was “back in the 1890s” but encouraged them to remain strong. He also reportedly said that, under the current regime, simply staying alive was an achievement.
Nyanjura further disclosed that Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was a neighbour to Besigye at the same facility, although the two had not met. She said she informed Besigye about Lukwago’s transfer to Mulago Hospital.
Reflecting on the visit, Nyanjula said seeing the opposition leader in his current condition was painful but that his determination and mental sharpness reminded her of the qualities that had made him a prominent political figure.
“His resilience gives me hope that we will get through this dark chapter,” she said, urging supporters to keep Besigye in their thoughts and prayers as he continues his recovery.
Besigye, a former personal physician to President Yoweri Museveni, has been one of Uganda’s leading opposition figures for decades and has repeatedly challenged the government over governance, human rights and political freedoms.
