Kenyan Senior Counsel and PLP leader Martha Karua has reportedly returned to Kenya after being denied entry into Uganda and declared persona non grata by immigration authorities at Entebbe International Airport.
Reports indicate that Karua was traveling to represent Ugandan opposition figures, including Dr. Kizza Besigye, in a high-profile treason-related case linked to proceedings involving Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. However, upon arrival, she was reportedly stopped by immigration officials, her phones confiscated, and she was placed on a return flight to Kenya citing security concerns.
She was later received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Ramah Abubakar, President of the East Africa Law Society, who confirmed her arrival following the deportation on June 22, 2026.
Abubakar strongly condemned the decision, calling it a breach of international law, East African Community protocols, and the rights of legal practitioners. According to documents shared in his statement, Ugandan authorities formally declared Karua persona non grata under immigration law, effectively barring her entry into the country.
The incident has sparked sharp criticism from regional legal circles, with several East African law bodies describing the move as politically motivated interference and a threat to judicial independence and cross-border legal practice.
