Written by Lisa Murimi
In a remarkable announcement that electrified Uganda’s opposition circles, Dr. Kizza Besigye, veteran opposition leader currently detained at Luzira Prison, is set to deliver the keynote address at the official launch of his newly formed party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFP), this Tuesday.
The news was revealed by PFP spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju in Kampala on Monday.
Despite Besigye’s ongoing detention—he has been held for 221 days under treason charges—the party insists he will speak during the inauguration, a move hailed by supporters as unprecedented.
“For the first time, you will witness a prisoner deliver a keynote address from prison. Dr Besigye will speak during our party’s official inauguration. Come and listen to him,” Ssemujju told The Monitor.
Although details on how Besigye will deliver the speech remain unclear, Ssemujju assured that the former presidential candidate is preparing his address and will use “whatever means possible” to make his voice heard.
“I was recently with him in Luzira. He is preparing his keynote address and will use whatever means possible to deliver it,” Ssemujju said.
The launch is expected to attract around 1,000 attendees, including many of the 5,000 members who recently endorsed the formation of the PFP after splitting from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The party’s interim leadership, led by former Parliamentary Opposition Leader Wafula Oguttu, will present nominees for official confirmation and be sworn in during the event.
Following the launch, the PFP plans a series of regional meetings to establish local leadership structures across the country.
Besigye’s detention and treason charge—which carries the death penalty—have stirred intense political debate.
He was last seen in Nairobi after attending a political event in November 2024 before being taken to a military jail in Uganda.
