No Evidence that Dr Kizza Besigye Begged Museveni to Attend Raila Odinga's Funeral

A viral social media claim alleging that imprisoned opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye penned a desperate letter to President Yoweri Museveni, pleading for permission to attend the funeral of his longtime ally, the late Kenyan opposition icon Raila Odinga, has been exposed as baseless misinformation.

The hoax, which portrays Besigye as "begging" for a final farewell before facing execution, originated from a Kenyan TV outlet and spread rapidly across X (formerly Twitter), but close associates of the veteran activist confirm no such communication ever occurred. Notably, Ugandan local news outlets have not reported on the claim, further underscoring its lack of substantiation.

A photo of the false quote attributed to Dr Kizza Besigye

Odinga, a towering figure in East African politics and four-time Kenyan presidential contender, died on October 15, 2025, at age 80 from cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment in India. His passing drew tributes from across the region, including from Besigye's wife, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, who posted a heartfelt message on X without mentioning any funeral attendance request. The fabricated quote –

"I'm begging to be allowed to attend the funeral of my friend Raila Odinga in Kenya. If Museveni has any humanity left in him, he should let me attend the burial of Raila, then he can kill me afterwards, and I will sleep peacefully"

This quote surfaced in meme-style graphics shared by accounts including @switchtvkenya, @AriongLopeyok, and @TheKaslim on October 17. These posts, viewed thousands of times, framed the plea as an emotional appeal amid Besigye's ongoing detention.

However, exclusive statements from two individuals with direct access to Besigye debunk the narrative entirely. Counsel Ivan Bwowe, a prominent human rights lawyer and one of Besigye's legal representatives in his high-profile treason case, confirmed via WhatsApp: "It is false."

Bwowe, who previously served as Makerere University Guild President (2014–2015) and has litigated landmark cases challenging government overreach – such as the 2019 ban on red berets worn by opposition supporters and regulations enabling labor trafficking – emphasized that Besigye has issued no such statement. His response came in reply to a fact-check query from News 24/7 and Fact Watch Africa.

Ivan Bwowe, one of Besigye's lawyers, says the quote is false

Similarly, Doreen Nyanjura, Kampala's Deputy Lord Mayor and a staunch supporter of Besigye aligned with the People's Front for Freedom (PFF) – the new political platform formed by the Katonga faction following the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)'s internal divisions in 2024 – stated unequivocally: "I haven't seen any hand-written letter." Nyanjura, an FDC "preacher" and former Makerere University Guild Vice President (2011–2012), has been a vocal supporter of Besigye, including during her own arrests for protesting his detention.

Doreen Nyanjura, one of Dr Kizza Besigye's close allies.

In February 2025, she was remanded alongside activists like Ingrid Turinawe for demanding Besigye's release, highlighting her role in the opposition's fight against perceived political persecution. Her denial aligns with her long history of activism, from coordinating the National Association of the Unemployed to authoring Is "It the Fundamental Change?", a critique of Museveni's 39-year rule.

Besigye, 69, has been detained in Luzira Upper Prison since his abduction from Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, alongside aide Haji Obeid Lutale. Reports from Besigye's wife, Winnie Byanyima, and international organizations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Office, confirm that Besigye was seized in an apartment complex in Nairobi around 4:30 p.m. local time while attending a book launch by Kenyan opposition politician Martha Karua. He was held incommunicado for four days before resurfacing on November 20, 2024, in a military court in Kampala, where he and Lutale were charged with offenses related to firearms possession and soliciting military support abroad to undermine Uganda's defense forces.

The Kenyan government initially denied involvement but later acknowledged cooperation with Ugandan authorities, prompting investigations into potential violations of extradition protocols and international human rights standards. The duo was initially tried in a military court – a move ruled unconstitutional by Uganda's Supreme Court in January 2025 – before charges were transferred to civilian jurisdiction. On February 21, 2025, Nakawa Chief Magistrate's Court formally charged them with treason and misprision of treason, alleging a plot to overthrow the government by force between 2023 and November 2024, involving locations from Kampala to Geneva and Athens. The offenses, which carry the death penalty, stem from claims that Besigye and co-accused Captain Denis Oola (at large) failed to report or prevent an unspecified treasonous act.

The High Court has denied bail twice: first in April 2025, citing the charges' gravity and potential interference with investigations, and again in August, ruling that the 180-day remand clock started only from the civilian charging date, leaving Besigye 12 days short of mandatory release. Justice Emmanuel Baguma rejected a recusal bid in October, affirming the court's jurisdiction. Besigye, who has staged hunger strikes in protest and appeared in court via wheelchair due to health concerns, maintains the proceedings are politically motivated ahead of Uganda's 2026 elections, where Museveni seeks a seventh term.

Bwowe and Nyanjura's proximity to Besigye underscores the claim's falsehood. As part of his defense team, Bwowe handles communications and filings, while Nyanjura, a key mobilizer in the PFF, coordinates public support efforts. Neither has seen evidence of the alleged letter, and Besigye's verified X account (@kizzabesigye1) – inactive since before Odinga's death – contains no reference to it. International outlets like Reuters, BBC, and Al Jazeera, which covered the treason charges extensively, reported no such plea, further eroding its credibility. Ugandan local news outlets, including the Daily Monitor and New Vision, have similarly made no mention of the claim in their coverage of Odinga's death or Besigye's detention, despite extensive reporting on regional tributes and opposition developments.

Critics, including opposition leader Bobi Wine, view the hoax as part of a broader smear campaign to undermine Besigye's defiance. "This is propaganda designed to paint a revolutionary as broken," Wine posted on X. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned Besigye's detention as emblematic of a pre-election crackdown, with at least 40 opposition figures arrested since November 2024.