Besigye joins wife Winnie as she takes charge at UNAIDS

Dr Kizza Besigye, the former leader of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change has joined his wife Ms Winnie Byanyima, in Geneva, Switzerland, where she is scheduled to start work as the UNAIDS executive director.

In August, United Nations Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres appointed Ms Byanyima as the new UNAIDS boss.

Ms Byanyima tweeted on Sunday: “In Geneva, my first day here, @akizzabesigye & @kizzabesigye1 here to help me to start in my new role at @unaids  Thks.”

Ms Byanyima held several roles that were affiliated to the governance of the African Union, and has influenced the international agenda at the United Nations through her leadership in many coalitions of civil society organisations.

She, at the time of her appointment, was the executive director of OXFAM, a position she held for six years since her appointment in January 2013.

Ms Byanyima takes over from Michel Sidibé who stepped down in May this year following accusations of ''serious mismanagement''.

Mr Sidibé was also accused of creating "a patriarchal culture tolerating harassment and abuse of authority."

An Independent Expert Panel (IEP) report commissioned by UNAIDS' governing body said the agency's culture under Mr Sidibé also failed "to uphold the United Nations' laws and values."

Mr Sidibe left UNAIDS after a decade-long tenure to become Mali's health minister.