Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua blocked from entering Uganda, says law society

Kenyan lawyer and former justice minister Martha Karua was blocked from entering Uganda and ordered to return home, according to the Uganda Law Society. She had arrived at Entebbe airport to join a defence team representing detained opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is on trial for treason.

The Uganda Law Society said no reason was given for the decision. Kenya's Law Society President Charles Kanjama, who travelled with Karua, was allowed into the country. Kanjama said it was "of particular concern" that Karua was turned away despite travelling "for the same matter and in the same professional capacity" as himself. "It is difficult to understand why one member of a defence team should be admitted while another is turned away," he wrote on X, calling on Ugandan authorities to explain their actions.

Uganda's immigration authorities have not responded to the BBC's request for comment.

Karua, who is also a citizen of the East African Community, said on her return to Nairobi that the denial of entry was "unlawful and politically motivated", according to the Daily Nation news site. She said she was told she was persona non grata in Uganda. As a citizen of the East African Community, she argued, she should have the right to enter another member country.

The incident comes as Besigye's legal team faces multiple hurdles. Karua had previously had her initial application to practise as a lawyer in Uganda rejected before she was eventually cleared to represent Besigye. She was also deported from Tanzania last year to prevent her from attending the court case of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who also faces treason charges.

Besigye has been jailed on treason charges since being abducted in Kenya and forcibly returned to Uganda in late 2024. His abduction, along with that of his aide Obeid Lutale, sparked intense regional debate over legal jurisdiction and human rights.

Last Wednesday, Besigye's lawyer Erias Lukwago appeared in court looking weak, days after he had been arrested at his home. He denied charges of failing to report treason relating to Besigye's case and was remanded in prison. His bail hearing had been due on Monday, according to reports.

Coverage comparison

Both reports from the BBC focus on the denial of entry to Karua and the reaction from Kenya's Law Society President Charles Kanjama. One report includes Karua's own comments on her return to Nairobi, that the denial was "unlawful and politically motivated", while the other report omits that direct quote but adds that Lukwago's bail hearing was due on Monday. Both reports note that Ugandan authorities have not given a reason for blocking Karua, and that Kanjama was allowed entry.