Senior Counsel and Kenyan presidential aspirant Martha Karua was denied entry into Uganda on Monday after being turned away at Entebbe International Airport, where she had arrived as part of a legal team involved in high-profile opposition treason cases, before being sent back to Nairobi.
The Uganda Law Society said Karua had travelled as part of a defence team representing opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is facing treason charges. She was also expected to join proceedings linked to Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, recently charged with a related offence and due for a bail hearing.
Karma was stopped at the airport on arrival and initially expected to return to Nairobi the same day. Later, however, she became unreachable, with her phones switched off, according to her team.
“Karua was scheduled to return to Nairobi today but remains incommunicado,” Martha Karua’s Executive Office said in a Monday afternoon press release.
Ugandan authorities gave no reason for denying her entry. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) said it had sought clarification from officials but had not yet received a response.
Karua was travelling with LSK president Charles Kanjama, who was allowed into the country. He called the situation troubling, questioning why one member of the same legal team was admitted while another was refused entry.
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The incident comes as Uganda’s treason-related cases involving opposition figures face growing scrutiny. Lukwago appeared in court last week after being arrested at his home, denied charges related to failing to report treason, and was remanded in custody.
Besigye has been held on treason charges since late 2024, after what his supporters describe as his abduction in Kenya and forced return to Uganda. The case has raised regional concern over jurisdiction and human rights.
Karua has previously faced similar obstacles in related cases. Her initial application to practice law in Uganda was rejected, and she was later deported from Tanzania while attempting to attend proceedings involving opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
The LSK said it stood with lawyers across East Africa working under difficult conditions and called for clarity over Karua’s denied entry.
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