1. Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe, commonly known by his nickname Colonel Dr Kizza Besigye, is a Ugandan physician, politician, and former military officer.
41 Facts About Kizza Besigye
1. 2.
Kizza Besigye served as the president of the Forum for Democratic Change political party and was an unsuccessful candidate in Uganda's 2001,2006,2011, and 2016 presidential elections, losing all of them to the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, who has been president of Uganda since 26 January 1986.
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Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe was born in Rwakabengo, Rukungiri Municipality, Rukungiri District, southwestern Uganda, on 22 April 1956.
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Kizza Besigye is the second-born in a family of 6, both his parents died before he finished primary school.
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Kizza Besigye went to Kinyasano Primary School and Mbarara Junior School for his Primary school education.
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Kizza Besigye later joined Kampala's Kitante High School for his Ordinary Levels and then Kigezi High School in Kabale District for his Advanced Level education.
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Kizza Besigye enrolled at Makerere University in 1975 and graduated with a degree in human medicine in 1980.
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Kizza Besigye later held the positions of Minister of State in the President's office and National Political Commissar.
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On 7 July 1999, Kizza Besigye married Winnie Byanyima, a Ugandan Member of Parliament, in Nsambya, Kampala.
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Kizza Besigye later went into exile in Kenya, where he applied to the Medical Board for registration to work as a doctor.
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In 1999, Kizza Besigye wrote a document critical of the government, "An Insider's View of How the NRM Lost the Broad Base".
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Kizza Besigye was charged before a court-martial for "airing his views at the wrong forum".
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Kizza Besigye brokered a deal in 2000 in which the charges were dropped in exchange for an apology for publishing the document.
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In October 2000, Kizza Besigye announced that he would run against Museveni in the 2001 elections.
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Kizza Besigye retired from the Uganda People's Defence Forces in 2001, having attained the rank of colonel.
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Kizza Besigye lost the election, which was marred by claims of widespread vote rigging, violence and coercion of voters.
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In March 2001 Kizza Besigye petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the election results.
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In June 2001, Kizza Besigye was briefly arrested and questioned by the police over allegations of treason.
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Kizza Besigye's supporters said the government had fabricated the existence of the insurgents to harm his credibility among Ugandans and the international community.
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Kizza Besigye lived in South Africa for four years, during which time he continued to criticise Museveni's government.
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Kizza Besigye returned to Uganda on 26 October 2005, just in time to register as a voter in the 2006 elections.
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Kizza Besigye was greeted by thousands and hit the campaign trail almost immediately, addressing throngs of supporters across the country.
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Kizza Besigye's arrest sparked riots in Kampala and around the country.
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Kizza Besigye denied the charges and has argued that as a retiree from the armed forces, he should no longer be subject to an army court-martial.
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Kizza Besigye stood with Miria Kalule Obote, the first female presidential candidate for the Uganda People's Congress, Abed Bwanika, who stood as an independent, John Ssebana Kizito for Democratic Party.
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Kizza Besigye was pepper-sprayed and dragged from his car by police.
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Kizza Besigye opposed the reintroduction of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill into the 9th Parliament of Uganda by MP David Bahati.
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Kizza Besigye's support of gay rights together with Youth MP Abe Moses was a contentious issue in Uganda, where homosexuality is already a crime under the Ugandan Penal Code.
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Kizza Besigye was arrested on 1 October 2012 after attempting to make a speech to vendors in Kiseka market in Kampala.
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Kizza Besigye was taken to a central police station in the city.
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Kizza Besigye again lost to Museveni, receiving only 34 percent of the vote to Museveni's 62 percent.
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On May 11,2016, Kizza Besigye secretly swore himself in as president of Uganda, a day before the official swearing-in ceremony of President Museveni.
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Kizza Besigye was arrested by the Ugandan Army moments into his swearing in.
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Kizza Besigye later established "The people's government" as he believed he was the rightful winner of the 2016 elections.
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Kizza Besigye opted not to run for president in the 2021 elections, saying he would lead the opposition in "plan B" to cause change in the country.
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Kizza Besigye allied himself with Museveni's main opponent, Bobi Wine.
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In May 2022, Kizza Besigye was arrested during a protest over skyrocketing commodity prices in Uganda.
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In protest of the high fees, Kizza Besigye turned down the offer and opted for prison.
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Kizza Besigye was then granted bail and came out of prison.
40.
In November 2024, Winnie Byanyima said that Kizza Besigye had been abducted while he was in Nairobi, Kenya on 16 November to attend a book launch for Martha Karua and was being held in a military prison in Kampala.
41.
In January 2025, the military court ruled that Kizza Besigye can be tried for treachery.