Human rights organisation Amnesty International has called for an immediate investigation into the detention and deportation of Kenyan lawyer and politician Martha Karua by Ugandan authorities, describing the incident as unlawful and a violation of regional and international human rights standards.
Karua, a prominent human rights advocate and lead counsel for opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye, was detained for several hours upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport on Sunday before being deported back to Kenya. According to her deportation documents, Ugandan authorities declared her persona non grata, effectively barring her from entering the country. Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, condemned the move, saying it was a blatant violation of Karua’s rights and an attempt to undermine judicial transparency.
“Martha Karua’s detention and subsequent deportation are unlawful and outrageous. They are not only a blatant violation of the East African Community Treaty, but also a shameless attempt to suppress trial observation, which is central to the transparency of court processes,” Chagutah said. He further argued that the incident reflects a growing pattern of intimidation against members of Dr Besigye’s legal team.
“This arrest, coming days after the arbitrary detention and torture of Kizza Besigye’s lead defence counsel Erias Lukwago, points to a continuation of a long and disturbing pattern of arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment of Kizza Besigye’s legal team. Amnesty International reminds the Ugandan authorities that Kizza Besigye has a right to legal representation.”
The rights organisation also renewed its calls for the immediate release of both Besigye and Lukwago, claiming they have been subjected to arbitrary detention for more than 500 days.
Karua has represented Besigye since late 2024, when the veteran Ugandan opposition politician was allegedly abducted from Kenya, where he had travelled to attend a book launch, and returned to Uganda to face charges. Since then, she has made several trips to Kampala to participate in legal proceedings involving her client.
Her latest visit was intended to allow her to attend court proceedings involving Kampala Lord Mayor and senior lawyer Erias Lukwago, who was reportedly seized from his home in Wakaliga last week and taken to an undisclosed location. In an unusual development, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, publicly stated on social media that Lukwago’s arrest had been carried out on his orders.
Lukwago was later produced in court and charged with one count of misprision of treason, an offence that relates to concealing knowledge of treason or failing to report it to authorities. The deportation of Karua has sparked fresh concerns among regional and international human rights groups about the state of the rule of law, judicial independence and the treatment of political opposition figures and their lawyers in Uganda-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
