Adam Ampa Besigye
For those who may not know me, my name is Adam Ampa Besigye, firstborn son of Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye. I would like to borrow wise words of Ndugu Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi. “Knowledge is knowing what to say, wisdom is knowing when to say it.” After silently witnessing the injustices unfolding, I feel compelled to speak out after what may seem like decades of silence of my childhood into adulthood. I can no longer remain silent while my father endures relentless persecution as the rest of the world observes.
This statement is directed at President Yoweri Museveni and his son, CDF Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who are illegally detaining my father. You are responsible for anything that happens to him under your commands.
The Ugandan government is holding my father hostage in prison, with no valid remand warrant or court orders since the General Court Martial’s jurisdiction was invalidated.
Should any harm come to him while in this illegal detention, President Museveni, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and the Ugandan government must be held fully accountable.
I have seen all the derogatory and dehumanizing comments made by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Twitter, which expose his deliberate, politically fabricated plan to end my father’s life.
These statements are not only deeply disturbing but also confirm the sinister intentions disguised behind my father’s prolonged illegal detention.
I have also seen the false accusations that my father plotted to kill Muhoozi’s family—a claim I strongly and completely reject. My father has dedicated most of his adult life to fighting for the freedom and well-being of all Ugandans, including those who now falsely accuse him.
There have also been attempts to rewrite history, falsely claiming that my father did not treat President Museveni and his men during the war. This is an outright lie. If not for my father’s selfless medical efforts during the five-year war, many—including President Museveni—would not be alive today! To now turn around and persecute him is the highest form of betrayal and injustice.
My father is protesting his illegal detention through a hunger strike, which is now severely compromising his health—something the government observes with indifference, even delight especially reflecting the cruelty intentions by CDF Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
While some prison officials dispute this, his frail and weakened appearance at Buganda Road Court and now the High Court is undeniable proof that he is in pain. The tears I shed in secret reflect the deep emotional pain and anxiety I have endured through this ordeal. My father is a fighter, but even the strongest warriors have limits. He is the very definition of resilience.
I want to express my deep gratitude to my father’s entire legal team, both local and international Lawyers, who have stood by him despite the relentless persecution.
Led by Counsels Erias Lukwago and Martha Karua, you have shown unwavering dedication and persistence, even while facing persecution, intimidation, and torture at the hands of partisan state security officials. Your courage and commitment to justice do not go unnoticed.
I also want to sincerely thank my stepmother, my father’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, and the entire Byanyima family for the concern and support they have shown during these dark times. Your strength, resilience, and unwavering solidarity have been a source of comfort and encouragement, not just for my father, but for all of us who love him.
I would also like to thank the opposition political parties and leaders who, despite our differences, have shown concern for my father during this time. This moment reminds us that, above all, we must stand united in the face of injustice. Surely, united we stand, divided we fall.
To my surprise, many religious leaders have remained silent on these injustices, despite the engagements my father has had with them over the years. Since my father’s fallout with the NRM, the government has made numerous attempts to eliminate him—dating back to when he first ran for president in 2001.
From the Walk-to-Work protests to unlawful detentions, poison attempts, and continuous persecution under a cocktail of fabricated charges, my father has endured it all.
As a child into my adulthood, I have never truly experienced parental love from my father Kizza Besigye the way other children do. Not because he didn’t love me, but because he was constantly being persecuted, followed, tear-gassed, imprisoned, exiled, or forced into hiding.
President Museveni and his son—would you want this for any Ugandan citizen? Would you want your own children to grow up without a father because he was hunted down for standing up for what is right?
I ask you—those in power—if you would do anything to protect your father from harm, do you think I, in my right mind, wouldn’t do the same for mine?
Despite the psychological and emotional toll this situation has taken on me, I remain grateful for one thing: it has revealed who truly stands with us, who only pretends, and who is completely against us not to forget hypocrites that only rise during the harvest and flee during the drought. I try to stay strong, to keep a positive mindset, and to hold onto faith, prayer and hope during these dark times.
To those who continue to support my father, I sincerely thank you—for your concern, solidarity, and support on social media and beyond. Your voices matter. Your unwavering support gives me strength and comfort.
I humbly plead with the Ugandan government—Stop this injustice. Release my father Kizza Besigye and all other illegally detained political prisoners. End this inhumane persecution before it is too late.
Let us envision a better Uganda—a country we all call home. No citizen should have to live in exile all their lives. I ask you to make history—not of oppression, but of justice—for the country we all love. With Sincere Grace, Adam Ampa Besigye. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
