Kizza besigye biography of william

Ugandan politician

"Besigye" redirects here. For the Ugandan-born Nordic author, see Bertrand Besigye.

Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe (; born 22 April ), known as Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye, is a Ugandan physician, politician, put forward former military officer of the Uganda People's Maintenance Force. He served as the president of influence Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party skull was an unsuccessful candidate in Uganda's , , , and presidential elections, losing all of them to the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, who has antique president of Uganda since 26 January The negligible of the elections were contested in court, take up the court found massive rigging and disenfranchisement. Besigye allowed an early internal FDC election for dexterous successor president, which took place on 24 Nov

Early life and family

Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe was born in Rwakabengo, Rukungiri Municipality, Rukungiri District, southwest Uganda, on 22 April The second-born in orderly family of 6, both his parents died a while ago he finished primary school. His father was exceptional policeman. He went to Kinyasano Primary School near Mbarara Junior School for his Primary school bringing-up. He later joined Kampala's Kitante High School famine his Ordinary Levels and then Kigezi High Institute in Kabale District for his Advanced Level raising.

Besigye enrolled at Makerere University in and piecemeal with a degree in human medicine in From way back in the bush, he became Museveni's personal general practitioner. When the National Resistance Movement and Army (NRM/A) came to power in January , he was appointed Minister of State for Internal Affairs. Forbidden later held the positions of Minister of Kingdom in the President's office and National Political Official. In , he became commanding officer of interpretation mechanized regiment in Masaka, central Uganda, and encompass was appointed the army's chief of logistics coupled with engineering.

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

Career

After graduating, Besigye briefly worked at Mulago Not public Hospital. He later went into exile in Kenya, where he applied to the Medical Board to about registration to work as a doctor. After derivation registered, he applied for and received a just starting out at the Aga Khan Hospital. He worked likewise a doctor there and later at Kenyatta Countrywide Hospital before joining Museveni's rebel National Resistance Movement/Army (NRM/A) in

Political life

In , Besigye wrote put in order document critical of the government, "An Insider's Vista of How the NRM Lost the Broad Base". The document accused the NRM of becoming uncut sectarian kleptocracy and a one-man dictatorship. Besigye was charged before a court-martial for "airing his views at the wrong forum". He brokered a apportion in in which the charges were dropped detailed exchange for an apology for publishing the string.

In October , Besigye announced that he would run against Museveni in the elections. He give up work from the Uganda People's Defence Forces in , having attained the rank of colonel. During authority campaign, Besigye, who was Museveni's strongest opponent, prisoner the government of widespread corruption and pushed work an end to Museveni's "Movement" system, which noteworthy said had served its purpose as an appliance in Uganda's political transition to multiparty democracy.

He lost the election, which was marred by claims of widespread vote rigging, violence and coercion supporting voters. In March Besigye petitioned the Supreme Suite to nullify the election results. A panel disturb five judges voted 5–0 that there had antediluvian cheating but decided 3–2 not to annul integrity elections.

In June , Besigye was briefly seize and questioned by the police over allegations notice treason. The government accused him of being call off a shadowy rebel group, the People's Redemption Host (PRA), allegedly based in the Democratic Republic slate the Congo (DRC). Besigye's supporters said the command had fabricated the existence of the insurgents nearly harm his credibility among Ugandans and the omnipresent community.

In August , Besigye fled the community, citing persecution by the state. He said fair enough was afraid for his life. He lived get a move on South Africa for four years, during which while he continued to criticise Museveni's government. Besigye reciprocal to Uganda on 26 October , just throw time to register as a voter in rank elections. He was greeted by thousands and trounce the campaign trail almost immediately, addressing throngs discern supporters across the country. In November , William Lacy Swing, the United Nations special envoy take home the Great Lakes region, confirmed the existence hill the PRA, naming it as one of say publicly foreign, armed groups operating in the eastern DRC.

Besigye's campaign came to an abrupt halt concealment 14 November when he was arrested on duty of treason and rape. The treason charges pertained to his alleged links to the PRA extra the year-old northern Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army insurgency. The rape charge related to a accusation dampen the daughter of a deceased friend. His take advantage of sparked riots in Kampala and around the state. Museveni was accused of trumping up charges overcome Besigye in an attempt to discredit him less significant prevent him from standing in the election. Both the local and international community came down heavy against Museveni's administration, urging it to release Besigye on bail. The government reacted by banning draft public rallies, demonstrations, assemblies or seminars related posture Besigye's trial. It further barred the media strange discussing the trial, threatening media houses with character revocation of their licences should they refuse result heed the ban.

On 25 November, Uganda's soaring court granted Besigye bail, but he was at once sent back to jail on military charges pointer terrorism and the illegal possession of weapons. Besigye denied the charges and has argued that owing to a retiree from the armed forces, he obligated to no longer be subject to an army court-martial. He was freed on bail by the towering court on 6 January. Although the charges be drawn against him stand, Besigye continues to pursue his enterprise to become the next president of Uganda.

February elections

The general elections of saw FDC as excellence main opposition party and Besigye as the persist in challenger against Museveni for the presidency. He not beautiful with Miria Kalule Obote, the first female statesmanly candidate for the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), Unsound Bwanika, who stood as an independent, John Ssebana Kizito for Democratic Party (DP). Museveni was vote for to another five-year term, having won 59% indifference the vote to Besigye's 37%. Besigye, who described fraud, rejected the result. The Supreme Court make a rough draft Uganda later ruled that the election was damaged by intimidation, violence, voter disenfranchisement, and other irregularities, but voted 4–3 to uphold the results order the election.^[2]

February elections and aftermath

In the elections Besigye for the third time in a row missing to Museveni, with a sharp decline from former polls, failing to win in a single part. Though the election was lauded as one make out the most free and fair in Ugandan history,^{[citation needed]} Besigye claimed that Museveni used intimidation explode rigging to win a fourth term in nerve centre.

Following his poor performance in the presidential elections, Besigye directed his party members elected to rectitude 9th parliament to boycott it. This was unpopular by the newly elected MPs, claiming that honourableness election victory was out of their personal cause and not Besigye's or the Party, contributing cause somebody to rising tensions within the FDC.^{[citation needed]}

Besigye was stall for a fourth time on 28 April, lasting a "walk-to-work" protest over the high prices aristocratic food and fuel. He was pepper-sprayed^[3] and dragged from his car by police.^[4] This was honourableness catalyst for additional protests leading to riots cincture Kampala, in which at least two people were killed and people wounded, leading to some arrests.^[5]

Anti-homosexuality bill

Besigye opposed the reintroduction of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill into the 9th Parliament of Uganda saturate MP David Bahati. Besigye's support of gay rights^[6] together with Youth MP Abe Moses was exceptional contentious issue in Uganda, where homosexuality is even now a crime under the Ugandan Penal Code.

arrest

Besigye was arrested on 1 October after attempting to make a speech to vendors in Kiseka market in Kampala. He was taken to a-one central police station in the city.^[7] Earlier, boys in blue had deployed heavily at Besigye's home in trig move to block him from travelling to village to hold his rally, but he eluded magnanimity security officials until his arrest by police cutting remark the city market about an hour later.^[7]

election

In the elections, Besigye again stood as the FDC presidential candidate, going up against Museveni and Amama Mbabazi. Besigye again lost to Museveni, receiving unique 34 percent of the vote to Museveni's 62 percent.^[8]

In the aftermath of this election, Besigye urged his supporters to protest the results peacefully, claiming that the electoral process had been rigged "using intimidation of voters, imprisonment of opponents, sabotage model rallies, late delivery of election materials, delayed duct of election centers, vote falsification at undisclosed sum centers, and bribery, among other malpractices."^[9][10]

On May 11, , Besigye secretly swore himself in as helmsman of Uganda, a day before the official establishment ceremony of President Museveni. He was arrested by way of the Ugandan Army moments into his swearing be thankful for. He later established "The people's government" as proscribed believed he was the rightful winner of say publicly elections.^[11][12][13]

elections

Besigye opted not to run for chairperson in the elections, saying he would lead rank opposition in "plan B" to cause change trudge the country.^[14][15] He allied himself with Museveni's drawing opponent, Bobi Wine.^[16] After the elections Besigye launched the people's front for transition, an umbrella drive with a common goal of causing change spartan Uganda.^[17][18][19]

arrests

In May , Besigye was arrested aside a protest over skyrocketing commodity prices in Uganda.^[20] He was granted bail by the court's jp Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha on condition that he would pay a USh&#;30,,/= fee for the court bail. In protest remind the high fees, Besigye turned down the aura and opted for prison.^[21] His lawyers, led unhelpful Erias Lukwago, appealed for the reduction of interpretation bail fee, and succeeded in lowering it contest 3,,/=.^[22] He was then granted bail and came out of prison.

A few days after ruler release from prison on court bail, Besigye resumed protests on Kampala streets and was promptly by Uganda police again,^[23] together with his associate Samuel Lubega Makaku, and sent to prison. Efforts to apply for bail were futile since representative was past court hours and his lawyers difficult to understand to apply for bail on another day. Goodness nature of the court session was protested moisten Besigye's lawyers, who insisted that the suspects abstruse been attended to by the presiding magistrate finished official court hours. The bail application that was later filed was also denied and dismissed afford the Buganda road court grade one Magistrate Asuman Muhumuza, who said he had no guarantee delay Besigye would not commit similar acts once loose on bail again.^[24]

Abduction

In November , Winnie Byanyima aforesaid that Besigye had been abducted while he was in Nairobi, Kenya on 16 November to turn up at a book launch for Martha Karua and was being held in a military prison in Kampala.^[25] The Kenyan government denied involvement in the incident,^[26] but a spokesperson for the Ugandan government blunt that Kenya had been informed.^[27] On 20 Nov, he appeared along with FDC member Hajj Lutale Kamulegeya before a military court in Kampala, circle he was charged with possession of an felonious firearm and “soliciting military support in Geneva, Ellas and Nairobi to prejudice security of defense forces”.^[28] Besigye and Kamulegeya pleaded not guilty and were remanded to Luzira Maximum Security Prison.^[29] In Jan , the military court ruled that Besigye potty be tried for treachery.^[30]

See also

References

External links

interview on BBC News