Winnie Byanyima, the wife of detained Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye, has defended her meeting with President William Ruto on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
In a statement on Thursday, September 24, Byanyima, who serves as Executive Director of UNAIDS, explained that engaging governments, business leaders and other stakeholders is part of her work to advance health priorities across Africa.
She maintained that her professional responsibilities require her to engage leaders across political divides, while reiterating her position that Besigye was abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 and taken to Uganda.
Winnie Byanyima. Photo: Courtesy.
Byanyima called for Besigye’s release alongside other political prisoners and urged President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to end what she described as his persecution.
She also backed calls by Kenyans for answers on whether Kenyan security agencies were involved in Besigye’s abduction, while noting that Ugandans continue to push for greater political freedom and democracy.
Her remarks followed criticism over her meeting with Ruto, during which she praised his role as the African Union Champion for Local Manufacturing of Medical Products. She also raised Besigye’s continued detention with the President.
The meeting attracted criticism from some social media users, who questioned Byanyima’s decision to publicly praise Ruto while maintaining that Kenyan security agencies may have played a role in Besigye’s abduction.
Some users accused Ruto of facilitating Besigye’s transfer from Kenya to Uganda and questioned why Byanyima would meet and publicly commend him despite the allegations.
Besigye was abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 before being taken to Uganda, where he was charged before a military court and has remained in detention.
