PLP Party leader Martha Karua has demanded urgent and transparent explanations from Ugandan authorities following what she describes as incommunicado detention and denial of entry at Entebbe International Airport, warning that the incident signals escalating political repression and cross-border intimidation of opposition figures and legal practitioners in East Africa.
In a statement issued from her office on Monday and reinforced during a briefing in Nairobi on Tuesday, Karua said she was travelling to Uganda in her capacity as lead counsel in the treason case involving Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye and co-accused Obeid Lutale, and to attend proceedings linked to a bail hearing for her co-counsel, former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Karua recounted that she was initially cleared by immigration officers upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport but was later singled out and redirected to a senior supervisor while her travelling colleagues were allowed entry.
She said she was subsequently detained by multiple security officials, held incommunicado for hours, and denied any lawful explanation for her treatment.
“I am a holder of an East African passport, and I was in Uganda entirely in my legal capacity to observe the case of my co-counsel, Mr. Lukwago,” Karua said.
“When they denied me entry, I was not initially afraid for my safety, until security officials forcibly seized both of my phones without explanation. They could not tell me what laws I had broken, because there were none. This bullish behavior by security agents was pure harassment and intimidation.”
According to her account, her phones were confiscated shortly after being stopped, and she was not informed of any legal basis for her detention or denial of entry. The incident has since triggered concern among regional legal and human rights bodies.
The Law Society of Kenya, whose president Charles Kanjama travelled with Karua but was permitted entry into Uganda, said in a statement that the issue goes beyond individual cases.
The society stressed that it concerns the ability of advocates across East Africa to perform their professional duties without obstruction.
The East Africa Law Society also joined calls for clarity and respect for legal practice across borders.
Karua expressed gratitude to these bodies, as well as the Ugandan Law Society and other human rights defenders who mobilised following news of her detention.
Speaking in Nairobi, Karua linked the incident to what she described as a broader pattern of democratic backsliding in the region.
She cited the abduction of Kizza Besigye from Nairobi on November 16, 2024, and his continued detention nearly 600 days later, raising concerns overdue process, health, and access to justice.
She also referenced the recent arrest of Lukwago on June 15 under circumstances she said raised questions about fairness and the rule of law.
“I have walked this journey with Dr. Besigye from the moment he was abducted, and I will continue to stand with him regardless of intimidation,” she said. “I stand up and speak out because this is fundamentally about the future of justice, democracy, and freedom of movement in our region.”
Karua further warned that such incidents reflect broader regional risks, including arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and shrinking civic space across East Africa, including in Uganda and Tanzania.
She argued that repression against lawyers and opposition figures undermines regional stability and the rule of law.
“What happened in Entebbe is not just about Uganda. It is a warning to Kenya and to the entire region,” she said.
“We must reject the politics of fear, and stand firm in defence of justice, constitutionalism, and human dignity in the region.”
She also invoked the East African Community treaty provisions guaranteeing free movement of citizens across member states, warning that violations of these principles undermine regional integration.
Karua reaffirmed her 2027 presidential bid, positioning it as part of a broader push for democratic governance and rule of law in East Africa.
“We will not buy fear, at home or in the region. East Africa must be governed by law, freedom, and human dignity,” she said.