In brief
Kenyan former justice minister Martha Karua was detained at Entebbe airport, with no reason given for her being barred from Uganda. She joined a team in the defense of Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago, who is fighting treason charges linked to opposition leader Kizza Besigye. While Karua was blocked, Kenyan law society senior Charles Kanjama was allowed entry, raising questions about consistency and cross‑border legal cooperation. Karua’s office reports she remains incommunicado and expects to return to Nairobi. The incident highlights ongoing tensions over opposition figures and the jurisdiction of regional courts.
Former Kenyan justice minister Martha Karua was detained at Entebbe airport in Uganda and denied entry into the country, with Ugandan authorities offering no explanation for the move, according to the Uganda Law Society.
Karua had arrived to join a legal team headed by Kenyan law society senior Charles Kanjama, who was readily permitted in. The team was set to assist Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago, who faces a treason‑related charge tied to the opposition leader Kizza Besigye’s case.
Erias Lukwago’s bail hearing was scheduled for Monday; he had been arrested at home four days earlier and was remanded in prison. The broader case involves Besigye’s disappearance in Kenya and subsequent legal process in Uganda.
Karua’s office said she was detained at the airport and expected to return to Nairobi on Monday, but she remains incommunicado and her mobile phones are switched off. The Uganda Law Society calls for a clear statement from Ugandan officials on why Sanganti was denied entry while other team members were admitted.
Kenyan law society President Charles Kanjama highlighted the inconsistency, noting that both he and Karua were traveling in the same professional capacity and to the same event. He urged Ugandan authorities to explain the selective restriction.
Karua has faced multiple hurdles in representing Besigye. Her application to practice as a lawyer in Uganda was initially rejected, and she was deported from Tanzania the previous year to prevent her attendance at the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who also faces treason indictments.
Ugandan immigration officials have not yet responded to calls for comment. The incident underscores ongoing tensions over opposition politics, cross‑border legal practice, and the handling of treason cases in the East African region.
