Political Storm: Martha Karua Recounts 'Deportation Ordeal' After Uganda Ban!

People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua was deported from Uganda on June 22, 2026, after being denied entry into the country. Karua had traveled to Kampala aboard a Kenya Airways flight with the intention of joining the defense teams representing opposition figures Dr. Kizza Besigye and co-accused Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, as well as jailed Ugandan lawyer and politician Erias Lukwago, who faces charges of misprision of treason. She serves as lead counsel in the treason case against Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale.

Upon her arrival at Entebbe International Airport, immigration officials initially cleared Karua, but a superior officer intervened. She was informed that a "note" existed regarding her entry, and she was subsequently handed a letter declaring her persona non grata before being placed on a return flight to Nairobi, citing unspecified "security reasons."

Speaking at a press conference at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) upon her arrival, Karua recounted the events. She stated that the immigration officer who had initially processed her returned to deliver the unexpected news, explaining that she had been told she made a mistake and that there was a note concerning Karua. Karua also revealed that she had received a tip the previous week suggesting a "red alert" might have been placed on her at Entebbe, following her public condemnation of Lukwago's arrest. She had joined the Uganda Law Society by video link from Nairobi to condemn his unlawful arrest and detention.

During the incident, officers confiscated both of Karua's phones without explanation, offering no legal basis for seizing her property. She was escorted through multiple offices before a principal immigration officer confirmed she would not be allowed entry. Officers proposed holding her in a cell, but she negotiated to wait in the Kenya Airways lounge ahead of her return flight to Nairobi.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Charles Kanjama, who had traveled on the same flight and in the same professional capacity, was allowed to enter Uganda. Kanjama criticized the selective exclusion of Karua, stating it was difficult to justify. He called upon Ugandan authorities to provide an explanation for their action and to uphold the rule of law and regional cooperation underpinning the East Africa Law Society. Uganda Law Society Deputy President Antony Asiimwe, who was at the airport to receive the delegation, confirmed that no reason was given for the denial of entry.

Besigye's defense team strongly condemned the deportation, labeling it as politically motivated and an "assault not on one person but on the administration of justice itself." They argued that it was a calculated move to weaken Besigye's legal representation and intimidate lawyers involved in the high-profile case, demanding a public explanation from Ugandan authorities.

This incident is not the first time Karua has been barred from entering an East African country. In May last year, Tanzania deported her after she traveled to Dar es Salaam as a legal observer in a treason case involving Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. She subsequently filed a suit against Tanzania at the East African Court of Justice.

In response to this pattern of interference with the legal profession, the Uganda Law Society announced plans to stage a strike on June 26, protesting the actions of the Ugandan authorities and their perceived impact on the administration of justice.