Winnie Byanyima defends meeting with Ruto amid backlash over husband Besigye's abduction

Taking to social media platform X, Byanyima shared details of her interaction with President Ruto, framing it around continental healthcare initiatives while directly addressing the political crisis surrounding her partner's ongoing captivity.

"Good to meet President @WilliamRuto at #UNGA," Byanyima stated. "I strongly support his work as the AU Champion for Local Manufacturing of Medical Products. Africa must produce more of the medicines and health technologies we need".

She emphasized that during their discussion, she confronted the situation regarding Dr. Besigye, who was taken from Kenya’s capital in late 2024. 

 "I also raised the continuing persecution of Dr @kizzabesigye1," she wrote. "He was abducted in Nairobi in November 2024, forcibly taken to Uganda and has remained in detention since".

Byanyima placed direct responsibility on the Ugandan administration and called on regional leadership to uphold democratic standards and human rights across state borders. 

"President @KagutaMuseveni cannot wash his hands of an abduction that ended with his political opponent before a Ugandan military court and, nearly two years later, still in prison," she added. "African leaders must speak out against abduction and political persecution, and for respect for human rights and the rule of law".

The public engagement with President Ruto quickly sparked widespread debate across civil society and digital platforms, with critics questioning the optics of engaging with a head of state whose administration faces allegations of enabling or facilitating the cross-border abduction of a foreign political figure.

Many called her out for choosing to meet Ruto, viewing her actions as a betrayal to the life and liberty of her own spouse, many unable to comprehend how she could even proudly call Ruto a 'Champion of the AU'. 

One critic wrote: "How do you smile and pose for photos with the very government blamed for enabling your husband’s abduction in Nairobi? Winnie Byanyima’s handshake with Ruto in New York is a huge slap in the face to everyone fighting state-sponsored extrajudicial actions. #Besigye #UNGA. "

Another one said: "Optics matter! Thousands of activists put their safety on the line in Nairobi demanding justice for Kizza Besigye, only for Winnie Byanyima to offer William Ruto warm praise at UNGA. Principles shouldn't be set aside for diplomacy!"

Yet another dismayed observer noted: "Diplomatic duty or betrayal of principle? You cannot demand accountability for human rights abuses with one hand while shaking the hands of those implicated with the other. The hypocrisy is deafening."

Responding to the public outcry, Byanyima released a follow-up statement clarifying the dual nature of her obligations as an international diplomat and an advocate for governance reform. 

"I hear and respect the strong feelings about my partner @kizzabesigye1," Byanyima wrote. "I am at work, meeting governments, business and other leaders to end AIDS and Ebola, prevent future pandemics and advance Africa’s health sovereignty. There is no leader whose hand I will not shake in pursuit of that work".

In her follow-up defense, Byanyima elaborated on specific intelligence regarding the November 2024 incident, reiterating her demands for executive accountability in both Kampala and Nairobi.

"I have evidence that KB was abducted by four Ugandan security officials. He remains a prisoner in Uganda. I continue to call on President @KagutaMuseveni Museveni and his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba to end his persecution and free KB and all political prisoners," she asserted. 

Addressing the responsibilities of the Kenyan state, Byanyima underscored the role of public scrutiny in ensuring institutional oversight over state intelligence and security apparatuses. 

"Kenyans are right to demand answers about whether their security agencies played any role in his abduction. Their democracy gives them that right," she noted, concluding with a broader call for political reform: "We Ugandans continue our struggle for freedom and democracy".

On November 16, 2024, veteran Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye was abducted from an apartment complex in Nairobi, Kenya, where he had traveled to attend a book launch hosted by Kenyan politician Martha Karua. 

Following his sudden disappearance, his family and legal team were unable to contact him until he resurfaced four days later in Kampala, Uganda. 

The circumstances raised widespread international concern, as human rights organizations and Besigye's defense team accused Ugandan and Kenyan intelligence services of collaborating in an illegal cross-border extradition.

Upon his reappearance in Kampala on November 20, 2024, Besigye was brought before a military court - the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) General Court Martial - and charged alongside his colleague Haji Obeid Lutale with security-related offenses, including treason and the illegal possession of firearms. His lawyers and human rights groups forcefully challenged the jurisdiction of the military tribunal over civilians, leading to the transfer of the case to civilian jurisdiction.

Legal battles surrounding the case continue on multiple fronts, including a case filed in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) against the governments of Uganda and Kenya regarding his unlawful arrest and extradition. The proceedings in Uganda's High Court have faced recurring delays over evidentiary disputes between the prosecution and defense counsel.