Human rights advocates and opposition supporters have expressed concern over what they describe as increasing pressure on members of the legal fraternity involved in politically sensitive cases.
Kenyan lawyer and prominent opposition figure Martha Karua has today on Monday morning been denied entry into Uganda upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport and instructed by immigration authorities to return to Kenya, in a development that has raised fresh questions about the ongoing treason case involving veteran opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Karua, who serves as lead counsel for Dr. Besigye, had been expected to appear in court for the ruling on her client’s bail application. However, sources indicate that she was stopped by immigration officials shortly after landing and informed that she would not be allowed into the country.
The incident comes amid growing controversy surrounding the prosecution of Besigye and his co-accused, whose legal and political future remains uncertain.
The latest development follows the recent arrest and prosecution of senior Ugandan lawyer and former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. Last week, Lukwago was charged with misprision of treason and remanded to Luzira prison after what his associates described as an abduction from his residence in Wakaliga by armed operatives allegedly attached to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Human rights advocates and opposition supporters have expressed concern over what they describe as increasing pressure on members of the legal fraternity involved in politically sensitive cases. The denial of entry to Karua, coupled with the charges against Lukwago, is likely to intensify debate over the independence of the judicial process and the rights of legal practitioners representing opposition figures.
Neither Ugandan immigration authorities nor government officials had immediately provided a detailed explanation for Karua’s denial of entry by the time of publication.
As events continue to unfold, uncertainty remains over the fate of Dr. Besigye and his fellow accused persons, with observers closely watching the next steps in a case that has attracted significant attention both within Uganda and across the East African region.
