In brief
Martha Karua, the former Kenyan justice minister and prominent lawyer, was denied entry at Entebbe airport and ordered to return to Nairobi. The move came as she was preparing to join her Ugandan colleague in defending opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who faces treason charges. Ugandan authorities gave no reason for the blockade, while Kenyan and Ugandan law societies have called for clarification. The decision highlights tensions over jurisdiction and the protection of legal practitioners in East Africa.
Martha Karua, Kenyan former justice minister, blocked from entering Uganda
At Entebbe airport, the former Kenyan justice minister and distinguished lawyer, Martha Karua, was denied entry to Uganda and instructed to return to Nairobi.
Karua had arrived to join fellow Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago in defending opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who is on trial for treason following his forced return from Kenya last year.
Lukwago himself had been charged in the same treason‑related offence a week earlier, and his bail hearing was scheduled for Monday. Karua’s office reported that she was detained at the airport and expected to leave for Nairobi the following day, but she remains unreachable with both mobile phones switched off.
Ugandan immigration authorities offered no explanation for the blockade, while Kenyan Law Society President Charles Kanjama—who traveled with Karua—was allowed in unchanged. Kanjama expressed deep concern at the disparity, saying, "It is difficult to understand why one member of a defence team should be admitted while another is turned away," and urged a clear response from Ugandan officials.
The incident underscores broader tensions over jurisdictional disputes and the protection of legal professionals across East Africa. The Law Society of Kenya has called on authorities to provide clarity and has expressed support for those "who continue to uphold the cause of justice under often difficult circumstances."
Karua’s struggle to represent Besigye began long before the current blockade. She was initially denied the right to practice law in Uganda, forced to confront administrative hurdles, and was deported from Tanzania the previous year to prevent her from attending a court case involving another opposition leader charged with treason.
Regional bodies and human‑rights groups have repeatedly highlighted the broader implications of such actions, stressing that the right to legal representation must be preserved even amid politically charged proceedings.
