Over the weekend, at their family home in Kasangati, Wakiso District, Winnie Byanyima stood before journalists and announced what many hoped would be a moment of national reflection.
On Monday, 23 February 2026, at 2:00 pm, Lubaga Cathedral was set to host a Holy Mass led by the Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Paul Ssemogerere. The Mass was intended to pray for the release of her husband, on the theme “Holy Mass for Dr Kizza Besigye: All Prisoners & The sick.”
Byanyima explained the event had been organised in consultation with the cathedral and framed as a purely spiritual gathering seeking “divine intervention” in what she described as deepening injustice in Uganda.
This spiritual gathering comes amid Dr Besigye’s prolonged imprisonment: once Museveni’s personal physician and a four-time presidential challenger, he has been held at Luzira Prison since 16 November 2024. His detention stems from politically related charges that his supporters say remain unclear, and at 69, his health has visibly deteriorated in custody following repeated bail denials.
Besigye’s case reflects a wider pattern of political detention that has only intensified since the 2021 general elections. Hundreds of National Unity Platform supporters and other opposition activists have been held on unclear charges, leaving many Ugandans questioning the fairness and transparency of the legal system in Uganda.
The announcement of the Besigye Holy Mass amplified
On 22 February 2026, opposition leader Bobi Wine, through his social media platforms, urged “Ugandans of goodwill” to attend, a call that other opposition leaders amplified, drawing a large response from ordinary citizens.
By early Monday afternoon, the faithful had filled Lubaga Cathedral. Inside, Winnie Byanyima sat among opposition leaders and concerned citizens, as a quiet sense of expectancy grew while the appointed hour drew near.
Then, without warning, cathedral authorities announced that the Holy Mass had been postponed.
A notice reading “POSTPONED” appeared on the church screen. Worshippers already seated and others gathered at the entrance were left confused as no explanation followed.
Hours later, Byanyima told journalists: “I was called here yesterday by Archbishop His Grace Paul Ssemogerere, and he told me that he had received a call from President Museveni asking him to cancel the Mass.”
That statement needs no embellishment and is enough to end this article.
WATCH: @Winnie_Byanyima, wife of veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, says she called President Museveni to clarify that the planned gathering at Rubaga Cathedral was intended only as a prayer session for her husband and other political prisoners. She says the… https://t.co/FEYjTGJDfK pic.twitter.com/X9bzdXDTOM
— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) February 23, 2026
