Karua Detained at Entebbe as Uganda Blocks Besigye Lawyer From Entering Country

KAMPALA — Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua was detained at Entebbe International Airport on Monday after Ugandan authorities denied her entry into the country, setting off a diplomatic and legal storm just hours before a closely watched court ruling involving Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the wider prosecution of opposition figures linked to veteran politician Dr. Kizza Besigye.

Karua, a former Kenyan Justice Minister and one of East Africa’s most prominent constitutional lawyers, had travelled to Kampala as part of a Kenyan legal delegation that included Law Society of Kenya President Charles Kanjama. While other members of the delegation were reportedly allowed into Uganda, Karua was stopped by immigration officials and informed that she would not be permitted to enter the country.

Ugandan authorities had not publicly explained the decision by the time of publication.

Reports from members of her legal team indicated that she was being held at the airport pending deportation to Kenya. Lawyers and civil society groups monitoring the matter said communication with Karua became difficult shortly after her detention, fuelling concerns about the circumstances under which she was being held.

The incident occurred as Uganda’s judiciary and security establishment remain under intense scrutiny over the prosecution of opposition politicians and their lawyers.

Karua serves on the defence team representing Besigye and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale in proceedings that have become one of the most politically sensitive legal battles in Uganda. The case has drawn international attention because of allegations by opposition leaders that criminal justice institutions are being used to suppress dissent ahead of a potentially contentious political transition.

Her detention came days after the arrest and charging of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition lawyers and a key member of Besigye’s defence team.

Lukwago was arrested after pursuing legal action connected to public statements made by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The military chief, who is also President Yoweri Museveni’s son and widely viewed as a central figure in Uganda’s succession politics, had publicly warned individuals seeking to serve him with court documents and later celebrated Lukwago’s arrest on social media.

The developments have intensified concerns among lawyers and human rights advocates who argue that legal professionals involved in politically sensitive cases are increasingly becoming targets themselves.

For many observers, the timing of Karua’s detention is difficult to separate from the growing confrontation between Uganda’s opposition legal teams and the country’s security establishment.

Karua has become one of the most visible international figures supporting opposition leaders across East Africa. Over the past two years she has appeared in several high-profile political cases beyond Kenya’s borders, often positioning herself as an advocate for due process, constitutionalism and judicial independence.

Her detention at Entebbe has revived memories of a similar incident in Tanzania in 2025 when she was denied entry while attempting to observe proceedings involving opposition leader Tundu Lissu. That episode sparked criticism from legal bodies and democracy activists across the region who argued that governments were increasingly treating lawyers and trial observers as political actors rather than independent officers of the court.

The latest confrontation now places Uganda at the centre of a similar controversy.

Legal analysts note that while sovereign states retain the authority to regulate entry into their territories, the unexplained exclusion of a lawyer already involved in ongoing proceedings raises broader questions about access to legal representation and the independence of judicial processes.

The incident is also likely to test commitments made under the East African Community framework, which promotes the movement of professionals across member states and seeks to deepen regional legal and economic integration.

By Monday evening, pressure was mounting on both Kampala and Nairobi to explain the circumstances surrounding Karua’s detention. Regional bar associations, civil society organisations and opposition figures were already demanding answers, arguing that the treatment of one of East Africa’s most senior advocates carries implications far beyond a single immigration decision.

What began as an airport detention has rapidly evolved into a regional controversy touching on the rule of law, political freedoms and the ability of lawyers to represent clients in cases involving powerful state actors.

As Uganda prepares for an increasingly contested political future, the detention and planned deportation of Martha Karua is likely to become another defining chapter in the growing struggle between state power and those seeking to challenge it through the courts.