By Perez Karisa, June 24, 2026
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has publicly claimed responsibility for the deportation of Kenyan opposition leader and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, declaring that she is no longer welcome in Uganda.
In a blunt statement posted on his X account, General Muhoozi said the decision to block Karua from entering the country was entirely his and cautioned the public against blaming President Yoweri Museveni.
His remarks came hours after Karua was denied entry into Uganda and deported back to Kenya despite travelling to Kampala on what she described as a one-day legal mission.
Karua arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Monday but was immediately intercepted by immigration and security officers upon landing. According to the former Kenyan Justice Minister, security personnel confiscated her mobile phones and held her in isolation at the airport lounge for more than three hours.
She later revealed that she was informed she had been declared persona non grata and was barred from entering the country for unspecified security reasons. Authorities subsequently placed her on a return flight to Nairobi, where she landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Karua claimed that before boarding the aircraft, officials attempted to return her mobile phones, but she declined to receive them, expressing fears that the devices could have been tampered with or compromised during the period they remained in the custody of Ugandan authorities.
The incident has triggered sharp reactions across the region, particularly among legal bodies and opposition figures.
According to reports from Uganda, Karua had travelled to Kampala to join the legal team representing prominent constitutional lawyer Erias Lukwago, who was recently arrested and remanded on treason-related charges linked to his legal representation of opposition veteran Dr. Kizza Besigye.
General Muhoozi later defended the decision, saying Uganda would not tolerate what he described as foreign political interference. He maintained that the action was necessary to safeguard national security and prevent external influence in the country’s internal affairs.
Karua, however, condemned the move, arguing that blocking lawyers from accessing their clients undermines the right to a fair trial and weakens the rule of law.
She further stated that the detention of local lawyers and the refusal to allow international counsel to participate in legal proceedings amounted to interference with the administration of justice.
The incident has drawn criticism from legal organizations within East Africa.
Outgoing Law Society of Kenya President Charles Kanjama, who had travelled alongside Karua but was allowed entry into Uganda, condemned the treatment meted out to the Senior Counsel, describing it as an affront to legal practice and regional integration.
Meanwhile, East Africa Law Society President Ramadhan Abubakar announced that the organization was considering escalating the matter to the East African Court of Justice to seek clarification and challenge what he termed as a growing pattern of restrictions against lawyers operating across the region.
Speaking to journalists upon her arrival in Nairobi, Karua said the deportation reflected the shrinking democratic space in East Africa but insisted it would not intimidate her.
She maintained that she remained committed to defending human rights and the rule of law across the region and vowed to return to Uganda in the future.
“The democratic space in East Africa is shrinking, but this will not dim my spirit. I will return to Kampala when the current administration is no longer in power,” she said.
The diplomatic row adds to growing concerns among civil society groups and legal professionals over increasing restrictions on opposition figures and lawyers within the East African Community, raising fresh questions about the bloc’s commitment to the principles of free movement, democracy and the rule of law.
No official statement had been issued by the Ugandan government regarding the reasons behind Karua’s deportation by the time of publication.
