Lawyers representing opposition politician Kizza Besigye have demanded the immediate release of Kenyan lawyer and politician Martha Karua, alleging that she is being held incommunicado at Entebbe International Airport and faces imminent deportation to Kenya.
In a statement issued today, the defence team condemned Karua’s reported detention, describing it as unlawful and politically motivated. They further alleged that she had been denied access to her lawyers, family members and diplomatic representatives.
Karua, a former Kenyan Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and Senior Counsel, had travelled to Uganda to attend court proceedings involving Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and to support the defence team in cases involving Besigye and co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale.
Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason over allegations that they organised meetings within and outside Uganda aimed at plotting to overthrow the government.
Their legal team said Karua’s detention formed part of what they described as a broader pattern of intimidation targeting lawyers involved in politically sensitive cases.
The defence lawyers also linked the incident to a series of social media posts they attributed to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, which they said indicated an escalating crackdown on individuals previously referred to as “traitors.”
They further claimed that posts allegedly made on June 15 and June 19 warned of impending arrests targeting unnamed individuals, dismissed criticism of the security establishment, and referenced what was described as a “Rectification Campaign.”
By Our Reporter
22nd June 2026
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