Karua vows to sue Ugandan authorities over rights violations after being declared persona non grata

Senior Counsel Martha Karua has vowed to sue Uganda after she was denied entry into the country on Monday, saying the action was unlawful and politically motivated despite her being an advocate licensed to practise in Uganda and serving as Secretary General of the East Africa Law Society.

Karua, who has now been declared persona non grata, said she will seek legal redress in Uganda or through the African Court over what she termed violations of her rights.

Karua, who is also the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader, was blocked from entering Uganda at Entebbe International Airport, where she had travelled as lead counsel for veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale in an ongoing high-profile treason case.

She was declared persona non grata and placed on a Kenya Airways flight back to Nairobi shortly after arriving in Uganda.

Speaking to journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after her return, Karua said she was relieved to be back in Kenya but accused Ugandan authorities of acting unlawfully and denying her freedom of movement within the East African Community.

“I am relieved to be back home in Kenya after being denied entry into Uganda on Monday morning under circumstances that I believe were unlawful and politically motivated. I arrived at Entebbe International Airport at about 8:50 am aboard a Kenya Airways flight. I was travelling with three other people, among them the President of the Law Society of Kenya (Charles Kanjama),” she said.

She noted that she expected a routine entry into Uganda because of her position as Secretary General of the East Africa Law Society and her licence to practise law in the country.

She said she completed the required Ebola screening forms before proceeding through immigration, where she was initially cleared. Karua added that she was later moved to the baggage collection area as she waited for her colleagues since she only had hand luggage.

It was at that point that an immigration officer approached her and informed her that she had been told she had made a mistake by clearing her because there was a note against her name.

Karua said the incident raised concerns because she had received information the previous week that there could be a red alert issued against her in Uganda.

She linked the warning to the arrest, detention and alleged torture of her colleague, senior Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago, who is part of the legal team representing Dr Besigye.

Following Lukwago’s arrest, Karua said the defence team issued statements condemning the action and participated in discussions with the Uganda Law Society, after which she was warned she could face restrictions.

She said her trip to Uganda was not to represent a client in court but to check on Lukwago after receiving information that he was expected to appear before the court.

Karua said she was escorted to the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, where she was informed that she would not be allowed into Uganda due to unspecified security concerns.

She said two immigration officers had already taken her mobile phones without her consent before she reached the officer.

“The Principal Immigration Officer informed me that I would not be allowed into Uganda because of unspecified security concerns. When I asked what those concerns were, no explanation was given,” she said.

She said the officers wanted to take her to a holding cell, but she requested to remain at the Kenya Airways lounge as she waited for a return flight to Nairobi.

“That request was granted. I was escorted to the transfer passenger section and remained under the watch of immigration officers until I boarded my flight back home,” Karua said.

She noted that she repeatedly asked what offence she had committed, but did not receive an answer. “As a citizen of the East African Community, I believe I am entitled to freedom of movement within the region. That right was denied to me without explanation.”

She said the incident was not the first time she had faced such treatment, recalling that she was deported from Tanzania last year when she travelled to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

Karua said the denial of entry raised concerns over the fairness of Dr Besigye’s case, where she has served as lead counsel since January 2025.

She said she had entered Uganda many times without problems until the arrest of her co-counsel, Lukwago.

Karua said she intends to take legal action over her treatment at the airport, including the handling of her phones.

“My being denied entry to Uganda, I believe, was unlawful. The snatching of my phones, which I know have been interfered with, and I suspect they have mined data unauthorised. When they tried to return them to me, I refused because I did not know whether they had harmful chemicals on them. This is actionable, and I am definitely going to sue. Whether in Uganda or the African Court, because the East African Court is no longer moving,” she said.