A major legal and political battle is unfolding in Uganda after Kenyan lawyer and former Justice Minister Martha Karua filed a lawsuit against Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, accusing him of orchestrating her detention and expulsion from the country.
The case has sparked fresh debate across East Africa about the independence of legal institutions, the rights of defense lawyers, and the extent to which military officials should influence civilian administrative decisions.
Karua traveled to Uganda on June 22, 2026, intending to join the legal team representing opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye. According to court filings, she arrived at Entebbe International Airport with the necessary travel documents and authorization to practice before Ugandan courts.
However, shortly after immigration officials processed her passport, she was reportedly separated from her colleagues and escorted to the office of the Commissioner General of Immigration.
In her court application, Karua claims immigration officers confiscated her two mobile phones without providing a clear explanation. She says she was later informed that she would not be allowed to enter Uganda because of unspecified security concerns.
Although the devices were eventually returned, Karua declined to accept them immediately, expressing concern that confidential information belonging to her clients may have been accessed while the phones were in government custody.
Court documents further indicate that Ugandan authorities instructed Kenya Airways to remove her from the country and place her on a return flight, categorizing her as an inadmissible traveler under immigration regulations.
Karua argues that she was never given a formal explanation for the decision and was denied an opportunity to respond to the allegations that led to her exclusion.
She maintains that, as a citizen of an East African Community member state and a lawyer authorized to appear in Ugandan courts, she was entitled to enter the country and carry out her professional duties.
According to the lawsuit, her removal also affected Dr Besigye’s right to legal representation by counsel of his choice, potentially undermining principles of fair trial and due process.
A central element of Karua’s case involves statements allegedly posted by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on the social media platform X. The posts reportedly suggested that he personally ordered her removal from Uganda.
One of the statements cited in court allegedly read: “I personally expelled her. She will never be allowed back into our country.”
Karua argues that the statement demonstrates direct involvement by the military chief in a matter that should have remained under the authority of civilian immigration officials.
Her legal team further contends that Uganda’s Constitution places the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) under civilian authority and does not grant the Chief of Defence Forces power to make immigration decisions.
For that reason, Karua is asking the court to nullify the decision, arguing that it threatens judicial independence, legal practice, and constitutional governance.
The dispute is closely linked to the ongoing legal proceedings involving Dr Kizza Besigye, one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition leaders.
Court records show that Besigye was arrested in Nairobi in November 2024 while attending an event connected to the launch of a book by Martha Karua.
Ugandan prosecutors allege that Besigye and several associates participated in meetings aimed at planning efforts to overthrow the government. Authorities have also cited the involvement of other opposition figures, including Erias Lukwago, in meetings held outside Uganda that investigators claim were connected to the alleged plot.
