By Swift Reporter
Kenyan Senior Counsel and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua was denied entry into Uganda and deported to Nairobi on Monday after immigration authorities classified her as a “prohibited immigrant,” a move that has drawn concern from legal bodies in both Uganda and Kenya.
Karua arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Monday morning intending to attend court proceedings involving Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and to support the defence team representing opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale.
However, shortly after her arrival, immigration officials blocked her entry and directed the airline that had transported her to return her to Kenya the same day.
An official notice issued by Uganda’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control cited provisions of the country’s immigration laws and described Karua as persona non grata. No further explanation was provided.
The veteran lawyer had travelled alongside Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Charles Kanjama. While Kanjama was permitted entry into Uganda, Karua was detained at the airport before being deported.
The Uganda Law Society (ULS), which first raised the alarm, said Karua had been denied entry without being given reasons.
“Dr. Kizza Besigye’s and Obeid Lutale’s lead counsel, Hon. Martha Karua, SC, denied entry at Entebbe International Airport. She has been ordered to return without being given a reason,” the society said in a statement.
Hours later, Karua’s team confirmed that she had been held by immigration authorities upon arrival and prevented from proceeding with her planned legal engagements in Kampala.
“Senior Counsel and PLP Presidential Aspirant Martha Karua has been detained at Entebbe International Airport after Ugandan authorities denied her entry into the country this morning,” the statement said.
The incident immediately attracted attention from the Law Society of Kenya, which said Karua had travelled to Uganda to observe court proceedings and support efforts aimed at protecting the rights of members of the legal profession.
“The reported decision to deny her entry therefore raises concerns that extend beyond the circumstances of a single individual,” the society said, calling on authorities to provide clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding the decision.
Karua’s deportation comes amid heightened interest in a series of high-profile political cases involving opposition figures in Uganda.
Lukwago is facing charges of misprision of treason, while Besigye remains in detention on charges including treason, treachery and unlawful possession of firearms. The former presidential candidate has been held at Luzira Prison since November 2024 following his arrest in Nairobi and transfer to Uganda.
The latest development also revives memories of earlier disputes surrounding Karua’s participation in Besigye’s legal defence. In late 2024, Uganda’s Law Council declined to grant her a temporary practising certificate, preventing her from appearing in court on behalf of the opposition leader. She was later cleared to practice in Uganda after successfully challenging the decision.
By Monday evening, neither the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor immigration authorities had publicly provided a detailed explanation for Karua’s exclusion beyond the airport notice declaring her a prohibited immigrant.
The deportation is likely to intensify scrutiny of Uganda’s handling of politically sensitive cases and could trigger further diplomatic and legal debate within the East African legal community, where cross-border legal representation has increasingly become a feature of high-profile litigation.
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