Renowned Kenyan lawyer and Senior Counsel, Martha Karua, was on Monday denied entry into Uganda upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport and ordered to return to Kenya, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) has confirmed.
Ms. Karua, who serves as the lead counsel for veteran opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale in an ongoing high-profile treason case, had traveled to Kampala to support the defense team of her colleague, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
According to a statement released by the ULS on X (formerly Twitter), Ms. Karua was accompanied by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President, Charles Kanjama, and other legal colleagues. While Mr. Kanjama and the rest of the delegation were cleared by immigration officials, Ms. Karua was singled out, blocked, and instructed to return to her home country without any explanation.
The incident unfolded just minutes before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Makindye convened to deliver a ruling on the bail application of Mr. Lukwago. Lukwago, a prominent constitutional lawyer and opposition figure, is facing charges of misprision of treason. He was remanded to Luzira Prison last week, with the state alleging that he failed to disclose information regarding an alleged treasonous plot involving Dr. Besigye.
Dr. Besigye and Hajj Lutale were themselves recently arraigned before a military court following their controversial repatriation from Nairobi, Kenya, an incident that has sparked intense regional debate over legal jurisdiction and human rights.
ULS Deputy President, Antony Asiimwe, who was at Entebbe International Airport to welcome the regional delegation, expressed shock over the development, confirming that immigration authorities provided no justification for the deportation.
“We came to receive the team from Kenya… but when we reached the airport, we were made to understand that only two members of the team were allowed. Senior Counsel Martha Karua was not allowed to enter the country and she is being deported,” Mr. Asiimwe said.
He added: “No reason was given for the denial of her entry. They just told her she can’t enter Uganda.”
By press time, both the Ministry of Internal Affairs and immigration authorities had not yet issued an official statement regarding the legal grounds for denying entry to the prominent Kenyan statesman and lawyer.