The Uganda Inter-Religious Council, led by Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, has visited former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, at Luzira Prison.
This revelation was made by Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and wife of Dr. Besigye.
“At Luzira Prison, I was pleasantly surprised to see a delegation from the Uganda Inter-Religious Council, led by Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, visiting Kizza Besigye and Hajji Lutale. I appreciate their visit,” she shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Byanyima criticized the silence of religious leaders in the face of what she described as rampant state violence, abductions, disappearances, and unlawful detentions.
“The silence of our faith leaders is deafening and deeply disappointing. Now is the time to speak out!” she urged.
She further implored religious leaders to take a stand, emphasizing that young people are the primary victims of state violence.
Besigye and his co-accused are facing treason charges. According to the prosecution, they were allegedly abducted last year in Nairobi, where they had attended a book launch hosted by Kenyan opposition politician and lawyer Martha Karua.
The charge sheet states that the accused traveled to various countries, including Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya, to attend meetings aimed at plotting to overthrow the Ugandan government. Prosecutors claim that they engaged in discussions both in person and virtually in Geneva, Athens, Nairobi, and Kampala to further this agenda.
Furthermore, between 2023 and November 2024, Besigye, Lutale, and another co-accused, Oola, along with others still at large, allegedly failed to report knowledge of an impending act of treason to the relevant authorities, including the Minister, an administrative officer, a Magistrate, or a police officer, as required by law.
