NAIROBI – Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was briefly hospitalised after his health deteriorated following a hunger strike, but was back in prison yesterday, his lawyer told AFP. 

Besigye, 68, is a leading opponent of president Yoweri Museveni — in power for nearly 40 years — whom he has unsuccessfully challenged in four elections.

He was abducted in Kenya in November, and has been facing the death penalty on treason charges in a court martial that his wife, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima, has called a “sham”.

Besigye’s lawyer Erias Lukwago said he “was brought under heavy security deployment to a private medical facility in Bugolobi (Kampala) last night and taken back to Luzira prison”.

Besigye was last seen in public on Friday during a court appearance where he appeared frail – a day after Lukwago told AFP he was “critically ill.”

Lukwago and opposition lawmaker Francis Twijukye said they were unclear about his current situation as they have “limited access to him”.

His wife told AFP on Sunday she was “very worried” about Besigye’s health.

On trial for “threatening national security”, Besigye went on hunger strike on 10 February to protest his detention.

“He’s not been eating, he’s only drinking water,” Byanyima said on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled last month that civilians should not be tried in military courts. – Nampa/AFP