Lawyers representing opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye have demanded the immediate release of Kenyan senior lawyer and politician Martha Karua, who they claim is being held incommunicado at Entebbe International Airport and faces imminent deportation to Kenya.
In a statement issued on Monday, the defence team condemned Karua’s alleged detention as unlawful and politically motivated, saying she had been denied access to her lawyers, family members and diplomatic representatives.
Karua, a former Kenyan minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and a senior counsel of the Kenyan Bar, had travelled to Uganda to attend court proceedings involving former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and to support the defence of Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale and Capt Denis Oola.
The trio is jointly charged with treason over allegations that they organised meetings within and outside Uganda aimed at plotting to overthrow the government. The defence team described Karua’s detention as part of what it called a broader pattern of intimidation targeting lawyers involved in politically sensitive cases.
They linked the development to a series of social media posts attributed to the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, which they said signalled an escalating crackdown on individuals he has repeatedly referred to as “traitors.”
According to the lawyers, posts allegedly made on June 15 and June 19 warned of impending arrests targeting unnamed individuals, rejected criticism of the security establishment and referred to what Muhoozi described as a “Rectification Campaign.”
The defence team argued that the statements had created a climate of fear that is now being translated into action against members of the legal profession.
They also referenced earlier posts in which the army chief allegedly threatened to arrest individuals linked to legal proceedings involving Besigye and Lukwago, including lawyers handling court filings and those offering legal representation.
The lawyers further alleged that Karua’s detention and intended deportation violate constitutional guarantees on personal liberty, the right to a fair hearing and access to legal counsel, as well as protections under the East African Community Treaty and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
They demanded Karua’s immediate release, unimpeded access to her legal representatives and family, and the suspension of any deportation proceedings until lawful procedures are followed and written reasons are provided.
The defence team also called upon the Uganda Law Society, the Law Society of Kenya, the East Africa Law Society, diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations to urgently intervene.
Karua’s reported detention comes amid uncertainty surrounding the pending treason trial of Dr Besigye, Lutale and Capt Oola, who are accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Also pending is a misprision of treason case against Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, a member of Besigye’s legal defence team.
