In a move that has sparked cross-border legal and human rights concerns, prominent Kenyan opposition figure and former Justice Minister Martha Karua has been barred from entering Uganda by immigration authorities, who have yet to offer any public explanation for the decision, regional legal bodies confirmed Monday.
Karua, a seasoned rights lawyer, had traveled to Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport alongside Kenya Law Society President Charles Kanjama to join the legal defense team for prominent Ugandan attorney Erias Lukwago. Lukwago, who is helping represent detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in a high-profile treason case, faces his own treason-related charges, with a critical bail hearing scheduled for Monday.
According to an official statement from Karua’s office, the lawyer was taken into custody immediately upon arrival at Entebbe and ordered to return to Nairobi. As of Monday, she remained incommunicado: her personal mobile phones are switched off, and her senior legal team has been unable to establish direct contact, awaiting updates on her status and confirmed departure timeline.
Notably, Kanjama – who was traveling alongside Karua for the exact same legal assignment, in the same professional capacity – was granted entry to Uganda. In a public post on X, Kanjama described the arbitrary rejection as deeply alarming, noting that it makes no logical sense to allow one member of the same defense team to enter while turning away the other. He called on Ugandan immigration officials to immediately issue a public explanation for their actions.
Uganda’s immigration department has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the BBC, and has not clarified why Karua was singled out for exclusion. This incident is not an isolated case for Karua: last year, she was deported from Tanzania before she could participate in the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. She also overcame multiple administrative barriers to secure permission to represent Besigye, after her initial application to practice law in Uganda was rejected.
Lukwago, who was arrested at his home last week, made his first court appearance Wednesday looking visibly weak. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to report alleged treasonous activity linked to Besigye’s case, and has been remanded in custody until his bail hearing.
Besigye, a long-time opposition figure who has challenged Uganda’s ruling government for decades, was forcibly abducted from Kenyan territory in late 2024 and returned to Uganda to face treason charges. His abduction, along with that of his aide Obeid Lutale, sparked widespread regional controversy over cross-border legal jurisdiction and fundamental human rights protections for political opposition figures.
On Monday, the Law Society of Kenya released a statement affirming its solidarity with legal professionals across East Africa who continue to uphold the rule of law while working under increasingly challenging political conditions. The body called on Ugandan authorities to immediately release full details of the circumstances that led to Karua being denied entry. The BBC has also contacted the Kenyan government for comment on the incident, and as of publication, no official response has been received.