Dusman Okee, the official spokesperson for Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho, popularly known as Gen. Salim Saleh, has clarified reports that the senior presidential adviser on defence and security directed a committee to negotiate the release of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Rtd Col. Dr Kizza Besigye, from prison.
Okee said the group reportedly tasked with handling the matter is not a formal negotiation committee but a think tank examining how to approach Besigye’s case, alongside other issues.
He added that Saleh’s primary concern was the health of Besigye, whom he described as a longtime comrade with whom the general shares a deep bond forged during Uganda’s bush war.
The Weekend Vision, in its October 10–11, 2026 edition, reported that a committee had been established to negotiate Besigye’s release from detention.
However, Okee said the discussions should be understood in the context of the relationship between the two former bush-war comrades and their shared history.
“And, of course, Gen. Saleh’s cardinal concern is his comrade’s health. Besigye is a doctor believed to have saved his life during the bush war when he was shot and seriously wounded in 1983 at Bukalabi in Luwero, in one of the battles there,” Okee said.
He added that political disagreements had not erased the bond between the two men, who fought alongside other comrades during the struggle that brought the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to power.
“Let me make it clear. No matter what divisions arise among these war comrades, they are still bound by blood and the blood of their comrades, plus the lives sacrificed to liberate this country,” Okee said.
Okee noted that the case had attracted considerable public attention, prompting scholar Abuba Senjongoji to write a paper titled The Man Who Treated My Wounds for strategic discussion.
According to Okee, the paper examines the dilemma that arises when former comrades become political adversaries and whether their shared history can provide a basis for reconciliation without undermining the law.
“This paper raises the question on what happens when former comrades become political adversaries, and whether the memory of shared sacrifice can provide a moral foundation for moving forward without displacing the law,” he said.
Okee also described the emotional bond between Saleh and Besigye, saying the two share a song that reminds them of their shared experiences and sacrifices.
He cited lyrics expressing solidarity, unity and a connection forged through blood and fire, adding that the song helps the two men maintain their bond despite their political differences.
The song’s message, he said, is that the former comrades remain connected by the experiences they went through during the liberation struggle.
Meanwhile, Besigye is reportedly receiving medical treatment at a specialised health facility in Lubowa, a Kampala suburb, while remaining in the custody of the Uganda Prisons Service.
A senior Uganda Prisons Service official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that Besigye was receiving treatment outside Luzira Prison.
A source quoted by the New Vision newspaper said the treatment was being conducted with the full authorisation and cooperation of the Prisons Service.
The source said Besigye was responding well to treatment and that doctors had allowed him to receive a limited number of visitors of his choice as he continued recovering.
“Yes, he is doing so well, and he is able to communicate on what he wants and who he wants to see. But of course, in consultation with a team of specialised doctors who have been attending to him over time,” the source said.
The New Vision reported the development in its Wednesday, October 14, 2026 edition.
Reports about possible efforts to secure Besigye’s release through negotiations gained momentum after the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said in a social media post on August 25, 2026, that Saleh had been entrusted with handling the matter.
“Dr KB (Kizza Besigye) will be handled by Afande Saleh. If he wants forgiveness, he should talk to Afande Saleh. Mzee (President Yoweri Museveni), has given Afande SS (Salim Saleh) those powers,” Kainerugaba said.
The statement fuelled speculation about whether Saleh had been authorised to pursue a negotiated resolution to Besigye’s case.
However, Okee’s clarification indicates that the group involved is a think tank considering possible approaches to the matter, rather than a formally constituted committee specifically mandated to negotiate Besigye’s release.
Besigye was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, and subsequently transferred to Uganda.
He was charged with treason alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Captain Denis Oola.
His lawyer and former Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, was later arrested and charged with misprision of treason.
Besigye’s case has attracted widespread public attention, with questions raised about his detention, health and the possibility of a resolution.
Okee’s remarks highlight the personal and historical ties between Saleh and Besigye, while also raising the broader question of whether relationships forged during the liberation struggle can help address political differences within the framework of the law.
