Earlier prayers said for Dr Besigye ahead of the 2026 general elections
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I In a tense development on Monday, Winnie Byanyima claimed that President Yoweri Museveni personally intervened to prevent a special Mass from taking place at Lubaga Cathedral, which had been organised to pray for her husband, opposition figure Rtd Col Dr. Kizza Besigye, and other political prisoners.
The Mass, arranged by Dr. Besigye’s family, was scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM and was to be presided over by Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of the Kampala Archdiocese. However, by 2:00 PM, the Archbishop and other church leaders had not appeared, leaving gathered supporters disappointed.
Byanyima said she had been informed by Archbishop Ssemogerere that he had been pressured to postpone the Mass. “The Archbishop told me yesterday that President Museveni instructed him not to hold the service,” Byanyima said.
According to Byanyima, the President reportedly expressed concerns that the Mass could be used as a political gathering, a claim Ssemogerere rejected. “The Archbishop explained that this was only a prayer service, but the President insisted it be postponed indefinitely,” she added.
Byanyima described the intervention as deeply troubling, saying it underscores the challenges faced even by religious institutions in politically sensitive matters. “This was meant purely as a prayer for Dr. Besigye and those facing political persecution in Uganda,” she noted.
Dr. Besigye, a veteran opposition leader and four-time presidential candidate, has been in detention for over a year. Byanyima called on Ugandans to continue praying for him and others detained for political reasons.
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