Uganda’s veteran opposition leader, Colonel (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, has been honoured with the Akufo-Addo Africa Democracy Award by the Democracy Union of Africa (DUA) in recognition of his decades-long struggle for democracy, human rights and good governance.

The announcement was made at the DUA Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, where Besigye’s lifelong commitment to political reform and the rule of law was celebrated despite his current imprisonment in Uganda.

Dr Besigye, a former presidential contender and one of President Yoweri Museveni’s fiercest critics, is currently detained at Luzira Maximum Security Prison on treason charges, accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

He has been in detention for nearly nine months, with bail repeatedly denied, a situation his supporters say is politically motivated.

Despite his incarceration, the DUA described the award as a tribute to Besigye’s “unwavering courage and integrity under persecution,” noting that his voice for freedom continues to inspire reformers across Africa.

“Africa has heard his voice, even from behind prison walls,” a DUA delegate declared during the ceremony.

The Democracy Union of Africa cited Dr Besigye’s lifelong activism and resilience as central reasons for his selection.

Organisers said his work embodies “the indomitable African spirit that refuses to bow to oppression.”

For over two decades, Besigye has stood as a symbol of Uganda’s democratic resistance enduring arrests, torture, and political intimidation since breaking away from Museveni’s government in the late 1990s.

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The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the party Besigye co-founded and once led, acknowledged the award with pride. Party President Patrick Oboi Amuriat received the honour on his behalf.

Named after former Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the award honours African individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

At the event, former President Akufo-Addo, who attended the summit, was captured in a photograph with Patrick Oboi Amuriat.

FDC President Hon. Patrick Amuriat accepted the Akufo-Addo Africa Democracy Award for Col. Kizza Besigye, praising his unwavering fight for democracy in Africa. He urged leaders to act for the release of Besigye & other political prisoners like Tindu Lissu. @PatrickAmuriat pic.twitter.com/ZNxgkprCIx

— FDC (@FDCOfficial1) October 28, 2025

Dr. Kizza Besigye Awarded Akufo-Addo Democracy Prize while in prison

Dr. Kizza Besigye has been honored with the Akufo-Addo Democracy Award during the Democracy Union of Africa (DUA) Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya. The award acknowledges his decades-long commitment and… pic.twitter.com/UbI06CfqS1

— People's Front for Freedom - PFF (@PFFUganda) October 28, 2025