Martha Karua declared persona non grata, blocked from entering Uganda

Senior Counsel and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has vowed to take legal action against Ugandan authorities after she was denied entry into the country and declared persona non grata at Entebbe International Airport on Monday, June 22, 2026 in an incident that has sparked regional political and legal debate.

Karua, who is also the Secretary General of the East Africa Law Society, said she was unlawfully blocked from entering Uganda despite travelling as lead counsel for opposition lawyer Erias Lukwago and veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, who are facing treason-related charges.

The incident is the latest in a series of regional disputes involving restrictions on opposition-linked figures and legal representatives, raising renewed questions about adherence to EAC principles of free movement and rule of law.

Speaking after her return to Nairobi on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Karua described the incident as politically motivated and a violation of her rights under the East African Community (EAC) framework, which guarantees freedom of movement for citizens of member states.

“I am relieved to be back home in Kenya after being denied entry into Uganda under circumstances that I believe were unlawful and politically motivated,” she said, adding that she had complied with all immigration requirements, including Ebola screening procedures, before being initially cleared.

Karua said she was later informed at the baggage collection area that a “note” had been placed against her name, preventing her entry despite earlier clearance by immigration officers.

She further claimed she had received prior warnings of a possible “red alert” issued against her.

According to Karua, the principal immigration officer later informed her that she would not be allowed into Uganda due to unspecified “security concerns,” without offering further explanation.

She said she was escorted to a holding area and later to the transfer passenger section, where she remained under guard until she boarded a return Kenya Airways flight.

Karua also accused Ugandan immigration officers of confiscating her two mobile phones during the detention period, saying the devices were held for more than three hours before she left the airport.

“They snatched both my phones and kept them for about three and a half hours,” she said, alleging that the officers may have accessed or interfered with her data. She added that she declined to accept the devices when they were later offered back to her, citing concerns over possible tampering.

Ugandan authorities have not publicly explained the decision to deny her entry, although the Uganda Law Society confirmed that Karua was turned back on arrival.

Her travelling companion, Law Society of Kenya President Charles Kanjama, was allowed into the country.

Karua said she had travelled to Uganda to follow up on the bail hearing of Lukwago, who is part of Besigye’s legal defence team and was recently charged with misprision of treason. She linked the incident to what she described as increasing pressure on lawyers representing opposition figures in Uganda.

She further stated that she intends to challenge the decision either in Ugandan courts or at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, arguing that her freedom of movement and professional rights had been violated.

The incident has drawn condemnation from sections of Kenyan political and legal leaders.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who visited Karua in Nairobi alongside other leaders including former Chief Justice David Maraga and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, termed the action an affront to East African integration principles.

“This arbitrary denial of entry is not only an affront to her dignity, but also a violation of the principles that underpin the East African Community,” Kalonzo said, warning that shrinking democratic space in the region could affect any citizen.

Karua’s deportation comes amid heightened political tension in Uganda, where opposition figures, including Besigye, are facing treason-related charges.

Lukwago was recently remanded to Luzira Prison after being accused of misprision of treason.

Karua said her exclusion from Uganda undermines the fairness of the ongoing legal proceedings, in which she has been serving as lead counsel since January 2025.

“This is political persecution of Besigye and interference with his defence,” she said, insisting that the actions taken against her were intended to obstruct legal representation in a high-profile case.