By Spy Uganda
Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and wife of incarcerated opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, has ruled out any interest in seeking Uganda’s presidency. Instead, she has thrown her weight behind efforts to engineer a peaceful political transition — which she believes is the country’s most urgent and unfulfilled need.
“I am less interested in running for office. I am more interested in helping to sort out this political stalemate,” Byanyima stated, drawing a clear line between political ambition and her vision for Uganda’s future.
Byanyima, a former Member of Parliament and prominent advocate for social justice, emphasized that Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since independence — a national shortcoming she warns could spell danger if not urgently addressed.
“Uganda will be better if we get a peaceful transition of power,” she asserted, noting that President Yoweri Museveni’s 39-year rule has created a democratic bottleneck that continues to frustrate genuine political progress.
She decried the increasing criminalization and persecution of political opposition in Uganda, singling out the treatment of her husband Dr. Kizza Besigye, who is currently on remand at Luzira Prison, and Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), who faces constant harassment and police raids.
“Why would anybody want to be part of this?” she asked, referencing the brutal environment in which opposition leaders operate.
Byanyima described Besigye as a resilient, principled, and law-abiding leader who remains committed to his convictions despite relentless persecution. “He is as strong as ever and motivated,” she said.
Warning of Another Flawed Election in 2026
Looking ahead to the 2026 general elections, Byanyima voiced skepticism that they would be any different from previous contests, which have been plagued by violence, voter bribery, and repression.
“The next election will not be different. It will be violent and accompanied by a lot of bribery because we are stuck at a point where it’s time for the leader to leave, but he doesn’t want to leave,” she warned.
Rather than running for office, Byanyima said her energies are best invested in fostering a broad-based national dialogue to shape Uganda’s future. She expressed support for emerging political coalitions and reform-minded groups working to challenge the status quo.
“I would want to be involved in a serious national dialogue about the future of our country,” she said, underscoring her commitment to collective change over individual ambition.
She also urged President Museveni to shift course and engage opposition leaders through dialogue rather than repression.
“I encourage President Museveni not to take the path he is taking of criminalising his Opposition, but instead to dialogue with them,” she added. “This Is Not What We Fought For”
Reflecting on the revolutionary ideals that defined the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) armed struggle in the 1980s, Byanyima said the current political violence contradicts the very principles the bush war was fought to uphold.
“It is worrying when you see violence in the run-up to an election. It’s just not right. There is no need for violence. That’s what NRM stands for. It’s what we went to the bush for,” she said.
Byanyima’s remarks have sparked a wave of discussion across Uganda’s political spectrum. As a respected international figure with deep local roots, her refusal to run for president, coupled with her passionate advocacy for peaceful transition, lends her voice both moral authority and strategic weight in shaping Uganda’s future beyond 2026.
For now, she remains firmly focused on promoting justice, national reconciliation, and meaningful reform — not occupying State House.
